Halves Make a Whole
by WingsofRain
Summary: / ash & may / The Johto Grand Festival has finally arrived, and this time, May is determined to win, no matter what the cost. When challenges arise for the young coordinator, how will she pull through? Advanceshipping. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! :)**

**This is my first fanfic in the Pokemon archive, so please be nice ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. If I did, May would return to the show and she and Ash would be together.**

**I hope you enjoy the story!**

* * *

**H** a** l **v** e **s _make_ a** _Whole_**

* * *

_What a beautiful moon…_

Smiling to herself, a brown-haired girl leaned further on the railing of the balcony, wistfully staring at the night sky. The soft evening light was saturated in a liquid darkness, kissed by the swaying palms and embedded with tiny stars. It was almost sweet, the night, peaceful as it was in its mild warmth.

From the dusk came a slight draft of cool air, washing past the girl and seeping through the thin material of her orange dress. She shivered, bringing her slender arms across her chest, but then jolted in surprise as something landed gently on her head...

"_Beautifly?_"

The pensive sound of the butterfly pokemon, now perched on its coordinator's head, was almost an inquiry. It probed gently at the green bandanna it had settled on, eyes worried.

May sighed and reached up to pat her long-time Pokemon companion between its antennas.

"Hey Beautifly."

The butterfly pokemon smiled in reply, nudging its trainer to say more.

May kept her gaze fixed on the moon. "What are you still doing up? You need to get plenty of rest - we have a big day tomorrow."

The bug Pokemon didn't respond, flapping its jewel-like wings as if to ask, "_Well, you should be sleeping too. What are you doing up_?"

May shrugged, not quite sure how to respond, glancing back into her hotel room. Since she had wanted all her pokemon to be well-rested for tomorrow, she had allowed them to sleep out of their pokeballs. Her first and strongest pokemon, Blaziken, was lying on the air mattress next to her bed. Her Venusaur had claimed the sofa, and Skitty was perched on her head, mewing softly. Glaceon and Wartortle were next to the dormant fireplace, curled up on the rug, and Munchlax was spread-eagle on the carpet, lying near a half-eaten bowl of berries. All their pokeballs lay on the coffee table, freshly shined and curiously vacant.

May felt her blue eyes soften affectionately as she watched her sleeping pokemon - her companions, her best friends. All of them had helped her through so many contests in the past years. It was because of them that she was here now, in a 5-star hotel suite that was sponsored by the Johto Grand Festival.

Just thinking about the Grand Festival suddenly made her stomach drop down to the soles of her feet. Her heart gave an embarrassingly loud palpitation, as if annoyed at being forgotten.

_"Beautifly?"_ The bug Pokemon shifted down to May's shoulders, patting them soothingly. _What's wrong?_

May relaxed her tense shoulders. "It's nothing Beautifly. Don't worry about me," she said quietly. Her voice couldn't betray her when she whispered. But she then gave a little genuine smile, feeling a slight tinge of déjà vu in her thoughts.

"Do you remember Beautifly, how I was just like this a few years ago during my second contest? In Fallarbor town? When I was still traveling with Max and Brock and Ash…"

She trailed off suddenly, the words acquiring a plaintive lilt, the thought of her friends making her insides clench.

_(Especially Ash.)_

_What...?_

May hummed in confusion, the thought flitting away before she could make sense of it.

_I miss..._

_(Some people more than others...)_

_...them..._

She shook her head infinitesimally to rid of the bittersweet memories. Passing a hand lightly over her tired eyes, she then turned to the pokemon on her shoulder, raising her palm slightly to lift Beautifly gently up into the air.

"Ok, enough of this - I don't want you all exhausted for tomorrow's big contest. I need you up on stage for that performance, okay? Get some sleep - I promise that I'm doing just fine."

The bug pokemon hesitated, as if in uncertainty, but then nodded and drifted away, flying back into the room through the two French doors. Fluttering its wings shut, it folded itself neatly next to Blaziken on the mattress, closing its eyes.

May's heart softened at the sight of all her loyal, sleeping Pokemon. She had to win that Ribbon Cup this year. For them.

Looking up once more at the moon, May reached unconsciously into her back pocket, taking out a halved, golden ribbon with its familiar pink fringe. It glinted in the light, winking at her.

Cupping both hands gently around the precious keepsake, May let her eyes slide shut, willing the ribbon to give her the strength and confidence she needed - like it had done so many times in the past. She let the memories of Ash, Brock and Max run through her head, remembering her very first contest, the two Grand Festivals before, the countless of adventures, and that final contest with Ash where the ribbon had come from.

Her eyes were brighter when they opened again, sparkling with a sort of renewed confidence.

_(however short-lived it may have been, it was enough.)_

_(for the moment.)_

_This year..._

_...the Ribbon Cup will be mine._

_I must win..._

_...for my pokemon, for my family..._

_...and for..._

_(Ash.)_

_...my friends._

The thought floated off silently into the night.

_(him.)_

With a refined sigh, May finally let her gaze drop from the night, walking back into her room. Slipping into her new blue pajamas, she folded all her clothes and placed them neatly on a chair, tossing her green bandanna and mesh gloves on top. Then, curling onto the feathery mattress, her blue eyes slid shut as she tried very hard not to think about the fierce competition lying ahead, waiting to rise with the sun.

* * *

**Yes, short first chapter, but it will get better, I promise!**

**Please review? :) I would love to hear your feedback!**

**Thank you for reading!**

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hooray for chapter two!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon in any way, shape, or form.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Ring!_

_Ring, ring!_

_RING!_

May's eyes snapped open at the sound of her irritated alarm clock. She yawned once, propping herself on her elbow and peeking through her eyelashes toward the filtered light streaming through the curtains. The clock numbers said 6:30 am, casting a green glow in the otherwise dark room. Why was she waking up so early again?

The words came rushing back into her awareness. _Grand Festival._

_Oh!_

Bolting upright from the covers, May swung her legs off the mattress, her head spinning dizzily. Today was the day. She had to get up and start training. She had to get ready. She had to prepare-

Sudden nervousness spread throughout her body, chasing away what little determination she had left from the obliviousness of sleep. May shook her head, taking a few deep breaths. This was her dream. And she was finally going to make it come true.

_But what if you lose again_? A small pessimistic voice asked when she padded into the tiled bathroom to put on her clothes. _Don't forget you lost two whole Grand Festivals already. You don't stand a chance._

She hated how straightforward the voice sounded. Tugging viciously through her tangled brown hair, May willed herself to shove the voice out of her head. For now anyway.

After washing her face and tying her green bandanna into her hair, May paused to open her backpack, meticulously checking to make sure everything was present. She needed a distraction to keep her mind away from the nervousness after all.

As she pawed through the various toiletries, her hand briefly grazed over a blue bracelet, and she instinctively picked it up, causing it to shimmer with a tiny, bell-like sound.

It was the People of the Water's mark. The shiny blue stones glittered faintly in the lamplight, cool against her palms. May passed it through her fingers gently, remembering where she had gotten the trinket.

It had been quite a while since her thoughts had crossed the remembrance of that time, she realized.

_(So long ago...)_

_(A different lifetime ago...)_

May bit her lip, a painful brush of nostalgia claiming her heart. The thought of the adorable water legendary never failed to make her heart more vulnerable.

_And it didn't help that the thoughts made her think of Ash again too..._

_(It's...)_

_(...not just the thought of Manaphy...)_

_(...that hurts you...)_

The memories came before she could stop them.

_Saving her from the flood…_

_Restoring the temple…_

_Swimming with the Luvdisc and…_

_Enough!_

Enough.

That was quite enough.

May exhaled loudly. With the bracelet still between her fingers, she slipped it on, silently admiring the way it looked on her wrist. Perhaps it was silly for her to feel so, but it cast a sort of comfort in her thoughts. Like the soothing voice of someone she missed.

And so, with a shrug, she decided to keep it on. She needed all the luck she could get today anyway.

When the clock numbers flashed 7:00 am, May finally deemed herself ready. Quietly maneuvering her way to the air mattress, she leaned down and gently shook Blaziken awake.

The fire starter opened one eye sleepily. "_Blaze_?"

May smiled. "Today's the big day Blaziken! Time to wake up; we've got a lot of training to do."

That was all it took for Blaziken to jump up immediately, excitement written all over its lively eyes. Soon, all of May's Pokemon had awakened, shaking the sleep off in anticipation for the Grand Festival. May grabbed the empty pokeballs lying on the table, recalling everyone back into their own balls. Then, latching the final one into her backpack, May headed downstairs to the main lobby for breakfast.

* * *

The dining hall was pretty empty, seeing that it was still early in the day. After putting a few things on her tray, May spotted Drew and Solidad sitting at a table near the windows. She took in a steady breath before slowly approaching them, hoping her expression didn't look too hectic with worry.

"Hey you guys," she greeted cheerfully as she reached the table, sitting down next to Solidad. "I haven't seen you two since the contest in Cherrygrove City! Are you ready for the Grand Festival? Are you all prepared Drew? And you Solidad? How are you doing?"

Nervousness was making May speak faster than she usually did. She clamped down on her lips, willing herself not to talk too much.

Drew saw this nervousness, and flicked his hair with a confident smile. "Yeah, I would say I'm pretty much ready. I'm really aiming for that cup this year, so don't let your guard down May." The mixture of arrogance and caution were unmistakable in his voice.

May fought down the urge to childishly stick her tongue out at him. She turned to Solidad, who was silently drinking her black tea.

"What about you Solidad? It's no surprise if you were ready though, seeing that you won the Ribbon Cup in the Kanto festival last year." May's smile faltered as she tried to keep the envy from leaking through her tone, taking a sip of hot chocolate from her white mug.

Solidad shrugged, smiling at her brown-haired friend. "I guess you could say I'm ready. I just couldn't sit out for this Grand Festival; it's really hard to resist the challenge you know. And, again, two Ribbon Cups are better than one." She took a bite out of her doughnut, chewing with a calm expression.

Suddenly, a purple haired man clad in green ambled over, holding a cup of coffee.

"Well, isn't it my favorite coordinators, May, Drew and Solidad!" he exclaimed with sugary enthusiasm. His eyes were innocently surprised, the grin on his face shrewd.

Drew nodded stiffly in acknowledgement and Solidad waved. May turned to Cacturne-loving coordinator and smiled halfheartedly.

"Oh hi there Harley." It was still too early for her to really focus on the emotions hidden in his double-edged words.

Harley's eyes flashed to her face; the grin stretched wider.

"And how are _you_ doing princess?" he began with his characteristic, syrupy attention. "I hope you're ready for this year's festival! Wouldn't it be just _dreadful_ if you lost again this year?"

Again with the innocent act. May swallowed nervously, averting her gaze to the table.

Harley continued on, oblivious. "…and my Wigglytuff is really getting stronger, oh yes and my darling Cacturne too…well, don't plan on winning easy, since I'm ready for all of you!"

Grinning once more, he reached over and stole a strawberry from May's plate before sauntering away.

Solidad chuckled a little. "Oh, that Harley; always making jokes like that."

May didn't answer, biting into her honey drizzled sticky bun to keep a whimper of anxiety from showing. Harley had pierced through her worries head on. Not to mention that it seemed like she was the only coordinator here who wasn't confident or ready. Why did it always seem this way, year after year? She should be completely relaxed - she wasn't some beginner coordinator entering her very first contest.

Now slightly irritated (or was that anxiety?) May reached into her backpack, calling out her pokemon and giving each of them a plate of pokemon food and one pokeblock (May's Pink Surprise), keeping her hands busy. She watched them as they ate, finishing her own breakfast with an ambivalent expression.

_"Wouldn't it be just dreadful if you lost again this year?"_

_(...am I...ready...?)_

Swallowing the last of her hot chocolate, May then began to recall her pokemon back into their balls, ready to squeeze a bit of training in before the festival. Drew noticed as she started to clean up.

"Hey May? Do you want to come train with us later? We were going to visit the contest stage and try it out." He pointed toward the red-starred shape, visible even through the cafe windows as he asked, gesturing to Solidad with his free hand.

May considered the offer, pausing in the task of returning Munchlax to its ball. Though it did sound very tempting, she wanted to be by herself for a while. It would be embarrassing if she suddenly unwound in front of them. _Especially_ them.

"Thanks Drew, but I think I'll go by myself for a while," she said, voicing her thoughts, managing a small smile for her green haired friend.

Drew nodded, appraising her expression. "Ok, whatever," he finally said, shrugging. "You can come join us anytime you feel up to the challenge though," he teased. Standing up, he then winked. "I plan to see you in that winners circle later today."

"Thanks Drew. I'll be there," May said automatically. Her voice sounded impressively confident in spite of herself. Waving goodbye to him and Solidad, she walked out of the hotel and into the morning sunlight without looking back.

* * *

Only a few minutes later however, sitting by the lake, the nervousness hit at full force.

May hugged her shoulders tightly, taking shallow breaths. What was it that made her so anxious anyway? She should be just as calm as Solidad by this point, seeing that she had done this twice.

And, now that she thought about it, she had never been this nervous before, not even in the very first Grand Festival way back in Hoenn. What was different about this time?

It's because you lost twice before already, an unwelcome voice answered quickly. One time isn't that bad, but twice? What if you don't win this time? What would that make you?

A failure...

May ignored the truth in that pessimistic voice. She stood up, staring down at the lake. If she was going to train, then she had to do it now. Nervousness didn't help anything. It would just make her pokemon worried too.

"All right, come on out everyone!"

In a bright shower of red light, all her pokemon stood before her. May worked to smooth her features over with a calm, ready smile.

"Okay everyone, today is the big day! I want each and every one of you to do your very best - that is what's truly important. Remember, no matter what happens, whether we win or lose, we stick together until the end! Let's get out there and give them a real performance!"

May felt like she was reassuring them as much as she was reassuring herself. Her pokemon cheered, and she quickly took a battle stance behind them.

"Ready everyone? Now, Blaziken, use Overheat!"

"Beautifly, you use Silver Wind!"

"Glaceon, Ice Beam now!"

"Wartortle, give me your best Aqua Tail!"

"Skitty, attack with Blizzard!"

"Munchlax, full powered Solarbeam!"

"And Venusaur, finish it with Petal Dance!"

In a bright myriad of attacks, the beams shot into the sky, colliding together right in front of the sun. There was a vivid flash, and the attacks exploded in a shower of rainbow sparkles, glittering down into the lake's surface.

May watched the effect with fascination. It was more beautiful today than any other day she had seen it. She turned to her pokemon, pride bursting through every bit of her smile.

"Wonderful job everyone! Now, let's keep training!"

* * *

Some time later, after training by herself and then practicing a bit with Solidad and Drew, May returned to her room in the hotel. The Grand Festival was going to start in about three hours. She wanted her pokemon to be well-rested beforehand.

Sitting on the bed, May played idly with the bracelet hanging on her wrist. It was coming down to the wire now. Her pokemon all seemed ready and confident. She had to keep that spirit, not mar it with her own nervousness.

_(Your support is all I need, but I know that you can't be here with me...)_

_(But...sometimes...)_

_I wish..._

There was a sudden, brisk knocking at her door. May looked up, blinking uncomprehendingly at the door, confused. Who was that? She was sure it wasn't Drew or Solidad. They had gone to get their I.D. pictures for the Grand Festival just minutes ago…

Sliding off the bed, May approached the entryway cautiously, unchaining the latch and swinging the door open.

_...!_

_(Impossible...)_

The sight of the person standing there was enough to make her heart stop.

"…Ash?"

The black haired boy standing at the doorway waved, that familiar, boyish grin shining on his face.

"Hi May! Long time no see!"

* * *

**So how was this chapter? I hope the story isn't too boring so far :)**

**Don't forget to review my dear readers! Thank you so much~**

**Until the next chapter!**

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again everyone! :) I wanted to thank you all so much for your amazing support... so I decided that you guys deserved two more chapters :)**

**Anyway, there have been a few questions that cropped up:**

**1. Why does May have seven pokemon with her instead of the usual six?**

**- May wants a big variety of 'pokemon combinations' available to her during this competition, seeing that it is the Grand Festival. It's kind of like the time she was in the Wallace Cup. She also brought all of her pokemon with her to that as well.**

**2. Where's the action? I don't see any!**

**- Be patient my dear readers. I promise that action will come soon :)**

**Hope that cleared things up a bit!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. I wish I did.**

**Enjoy the next chapter!**

* * *

For a second, May thought she was dreaming. Staring at the smiling, black haired boy - _so real!_ - standing in front of her, she couldn't help but wonder whether or not she was really awake.

She blinked. Still there. _So gloriously there-_

She was definitely awake.

A split second later, the truth hit with harder force than May could have ever imagined.

"Ash!" she cried out again, this time in surprised delight, momentarily engulfed by the urge to throw her arms around his neck in a tight hug. Her arms twitched upward, wanting so much, _so much-_

But she quickly caught up with her own actions, forcing the urge back and letting her arms swing uselessly back at her sides. _Control, control_, she reminded herself.

Ash didn't seem to notice her hesitation and quick rebuke. His grin grew wider.

"Hi May! I haven't seen you in such a long time! I really missed you!"

A yellow mouse pokemon with red cheeks peeked behind from Ash's head at that moment. "_Pi Pika_!" the electric pokemon said enthusiastically, jumping into May's arms and nuzzling into her brown hair.

"Hi there Pikachu!" May said, beaming, cuddling the electric pokemon in her arms. She turned back to Ash then, her eyes lit up like stars. "I really missed you too! Come in, come in!"

As she ushered them into the room, _still unbelieving that he was actually here!_ she paused for a moment and glanced toward the otherwise empty hallway.

"Is Brock with you? And Dawn?" she added, almost like an afterthought, remembering the other coordinator she had made friends with when she went for the Wallace Cup in Sinnoh.

Before Ash could answer, two other people came rushing toward the doorway. One had spiky brown hair and laughter lines on his face, and the other had long blue hair and a blue penguin pokemon clinging to the hat on her head.

"Brock, Dawn!" May cried as she saw them. Happiness was expanding so quickly inside of her that she was shaking. "Come in, all of you! I can't believe you're here!"

Laughing, they all entered May's sunlit room. Brock smiled as he looked around.

"Hey there May! Haven't seen you in so long! Have you grown taller?" he teased in the big-brother way that only he could pull off.

Dawn smiled too. "Yeah, how are you doing? Sorry about our delay; we had meant to come straight up here with Ash, but Brock got caught up with Nurse Joy as she walked by..." The blue haired girl rolled her eyes and Brock smiled sheepishly. May laughed. "Some things never change, do they?" she asked him, winking.

They sat down then, lounging comfortably on the various furniture scattered around the room. Pikachu and Piplup went to the windows, looking out at the lake and giggling with each other.

_You're all here, actually here..._

_(especially you...)_

Idle conversation floated between them, light and comfortable and _familiar_. The sunlight warmed the otherwise relaxed space, and May felt as though a subdued pressure had been gloriously lifted from her shoulders, one she hadn't even realized was there until it was gone.

_(The pain of waiting gives life its sweetness...)_

Once their conversation began to drift farther away from the preliminaries however, Dawn abruptly paused mid-speech, reaching into her bag as if forgetting something. She rummaged around a bit, searching the crevices of the backpack for..._something_.

Flipping open another pocket, the blue haired girl finally gave a noise of satisfaction, retrieving a small, brightly wrapped gift box from the depths of her belongings. Quickly adjusting the bow tied on top of the box, she then held it out to May's surprised and confused expression, her smile expectant.

"Oh May, silly me, I almost forgot! We got you a gift for you before we came here; you know, like a good luck charm for the Grand Festival..." She shook the box insistently for May to take it, and the brown haired girl's eyes widened in a kind of incredulous delight as she accepted the gift.

"Anyway, it's not much, but...I really hope you like it!" Dawn prattled on, clasping her hands together, expression somewhat admiring.

Eyes still wide, May stared at the bright gift now resting in her palms, completely touched.

"You guys got this for me? Oh, but you shouldn't have…"

She trailed off, _so happy_, her voice thickly layered with gratitude and surprise and bittersweet elation.

Dawn beamed, then nudged the unusually silent black-haired boy sitting straight-faced next to her.

"Well...it was _Ash's_ idea actually, if you must know. To get the gift I mean. _And_ he was the one who suggested that we come here to cheer you on personally..." She paused, and then smiled conspiratorially, quickly muttering the next words. "..._and_ he was the one who actually picked the gift..."

May's expression shifted in a sort of revelation, and she turned to Ash, whose indignant gaze had curiously cast their focus to the carpet.

"Really? You...you came all the way here just to cheer me on?" Her delight was shadowed a little by concern. "But what about all your competitions?"

Ash shrugged once, finally meeting her eyes.

"I would have come even if the Pokemon Champion told me to take his place. You didn't think that I would forget one of my best friend's biggest competitions would you?"

May looked away from Ash's probing gaze, a smile making its way effortlessly to her lips.

He didn't seem to notice, continuing. "...And besides, my Sinnoh championships are still a month away and Dawn's Grand Festival is already over, so we decided to visit! I'll be cheering just for you the entire time - of course, to make sure you win this year." He winked at her.

_(Love may be blind, but I hope friendship is not...)_

May took a deep breath, repeating those words in her head again, the genuineness in his voice, the absolute trust and faith - _always there_ - and the _cheering just for you_ - her thoughts were consuming her.

Ash gave a good-natured sigh when she still made no move to open the gift.

"Well? Come on, open the box May!" he encouraged, reaching over to tug lightly on her wrist.

May felt her skin flush at his persistence, _or was she just imagining it?_ but she finally complied, opening her gift carefully, aware that everyone's eyes were on her. Laying the wrapping paper aside, she lifted the lid gently, removing the layers of cotton and extracting the present nestled at the bottom.

"Oh my..."

It was a golden chain, thin and delicate, framed with tiny blue crystals.

May gasped involuntarily, gently handling the chain as if it were glass.

"How did you…I'm so…I can't believe that…"

She couldn't get any words out. Her pent up emotions of happiness and nervousness spilled over, forming tears in her eyes. She blinked them away hastily, embarrassed.

_My emotions are all over the place today..._

Ash smiled gently, pleased at May's delight toward the gift, and somewhere in the recesses of his mind, he suddenly had the urge to reach up and wipe those silly tears away.

But the impulse was buried too deep that he hardly felt it.

"It's more than a chain actually," Ash pointed out after a moment of silence. He gathered the discarded box casually in his hands. "Do you still have the half of a ribbon we won in Terracotta Town?"

May looked up, lashes still wet. "Of course I do," she whispered, her voice thick. Reaching into her pocket, she held out the ribbon, her lips curving thoughtlessly in an almost wistful smile as she brought it out into view.

Ash took it out of her gloved hand and reached for the chain, revealing a small catch attached between two of the blue stones. Then, easily clipping the ribbon half onto the chain, he then turned to fasten the pendant on May's neck. Her heart fluttered peculiarly at the sudden proximity of his hands.

He leaned away then, smiling. The ribbon looked as though it was specially made for the chain, nestled in the hollow of May's neck.

"Wow..."

An awed, gentle smile found its way to May's lips, and she reached to cradle the ribbon half in both hands, the gold center glinting in unison with the soft light reflected off the gold chain. It was beautiful, _he was beautiful_, and the beat of calm that followed almost felt intimate-

"Thank you, all of you," she whispered finally, voice soft. "I love it."

Ash nodded in reply, feeling there was no need to say more, deciding not to tell her that he had bought the chain almost on impulse because the blue crystals had reminded him _so much_ of her blue eyes - _that color like the endless sky_ - and how he had bought it so she could _always_ have her ribbon half with her, always placed near her _heart_ where it _belonged-_

No, there was no need for those words. May's smile was all he needed.

Both Brock and Dawn said nothing as they watched this, both wearing the same, contemplative expression. There was an undercurrent of..._something_, humming in the silence, but neither of them could decipher it. Unbidden, there was a quiet, universal sigh of frustration.

However, only after a few seconds of properly framed stillness, the moment flickered away, as quickly as it had come. May seemed to break away from the abstraction as she looked up, eyes perhaps brighter than they had been. Lightheartedly, she then picked up where their conversation had last paused, inquiring the rest of the group about their travels, their adventures. She asked about Ash's Sinnoh badges, learned about Dawn's Grand Festival, teasingly asked Brock about his status with girls and how his pokemon breeding skills were coming along. They shared story after story, wanting to know all of their happenings while they had been apart, the atmosphere once again becoming carefree and warm.

The forgotten moment fluttered away, perishing in an effortless breath, apparently lost in oblivion. Neither Ash or May seemed to feel its departure.

Perhaps.

* * *

It was only an hour later - _where did the time go?_ - that May decided to cast a glance at the clock, and then quickly jerking into awareness when she realized that the Grand Festival was now only a half hour away. Brock noticed her sudden change in expression.

"The Grand Festival is about to start isn't it?" he asked consciously, and May nodded, unsure whether the thrill in her veins was from anxiousness or excitement. Or perhaps both. The two emotions clashed against each other inside her head, battling for dominance.

Dawn stood up, stretching, and turned to hug Piplup to her chest. "Oh! Well, in that case, are you ready May? I'm sure you are!"

May nodded automatically, not wanting her voice to betray her.

But Ash saw through this. He knew that mask. He remembered a time when May revealed the inner feelings behind that mask only to _him_ - the time when she still looked to _him_ for reassurance and help.

"You're really nervous, aren't you?" he asked quietly, knowingly.

May turned to him, biting her lip, and then that mask melted, once again exposing her vulnerable side, _like so many times back in Hoenn_, and she spilled her thoughts to him and _only him_, keeping her words directed at him even though Brock and Dawn were listening too. The fear and anxiety darkened her blue eyes, and she kept her gaze fixed to Ash's, _trusting only him to chase them away._

She told them how she was more nervous than ever since she had lost the two festivals before, and how Drew, Harley and Solidad were also competing this year. She recounted on how her pokemon did this morning, how she was so proud and afraid her own nervousness would ruin their performance. She told them of the many contests she had done in Johto, and how she had seen each of her opponents improve, leaving her in the dust. Then, finally when no more words would come, May gave a heavy sigh, calming herself by taking a deep breath.

Ash, Brock and Dawn all looked like they were deep in thought, ruminating over the worries she had just voiced. Brock was the first to come out of the revere, smiling calmly, his big-brother mode kicking in.

"Don't worry about it May; you've done Contests for so long, I'm sure you'll win this year. Why don't I whip up one of my famous meals to perk up all your pokemon?"

Dawn bobbed her head enthusiastically, jumping in after Brock, saying, "Yeah May, I'll help too! You can show me your performance, and I'll judge it like a real contest judge would! How does that sound?"

Ash nodded in agreement to both of them, expression serious, before he hesitantly lifted a hand, placing it on May's shoulder.

_(Ash...?)_

"We know you can do it. I know you can do it. After all, you're one of the best coordinators I know."

Dawn laughed once. "Hey, there's another coordinator here too!" she said, teasingly insulted.

May seemed taken aback, but then her lips stretched into a sincere grin, the feeling of Ash's hand warm on her skin, so real, so supportive - it was all she needed.

"I..."

Her voice shook with gratitude.

"Just...wow...thank you...so much you guys..."

_(Only you can bring me above the moon and sun and stars...)_

Her searching gaze met his, and Ash could see that her eyes were sparkling with tentative, newfound assurance.

"Thank you..."

And he smiled back, expression warm and happy and _so very real_.

"No problem May! After all, what are friends for?"

* * *

**Hmm...friends...**

**Yes, kind of a plotless chapter...just so we can bask in some wonderful Advanceshippy goodness. :)**

**(Oh, and did anyone notice that I made Pikachu call May 'Pi pika'? Haha, sounds a bit like 'Haruka' xD)**

**Reviews are like masterballs. You get one, you want more. ;)**

**Thank you for reading!**

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter four! Take the Stage!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own pokemon.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

It was time.

Standing in the shadow of the entryway facing the Johto Festival stage, May felt a thrill of prolonged excitement racing through her veins.

This was it.

She had only a few minutes left before it was her turn on that stage. Reaching inside the green pack balanced at her waist, she picked out Beautifly's pokeball and held it close to her chest.

"Well, I guess this is it Beautifly. The moment of truth."

Her heart thudded painfully in response to those words.

Almost intrinsically, her fingers reached to her neck and sought out the ribbon hanging from its new encrusted gold chain, and May forced herself to concentrate on nothing else but the memories of past contests - mistakes and victories alike.

(Her friends, her family, her pokemon, from failures to triumphs and everything in between...)

(She _remembers_.)

She would be top coordinator.

And today was the day.

"Now, let's give a big welcome for contestant number 39! It's May, from Petalburg City!"

Lillian Meridian's voice dropped solidly through May's thoughts, rippling the surface of her concentration, and the memories dissipated with a scattering of bright colors. Taking in one last deep breath, May walked valiantly towards the center of the large contest platform, gripping tightly at Beautifly's pokeball.

"May has competed in the Hoenn and Kanto Grand Festivals before this one. She has gotten both top 8 and top 4 respectively in those…"

May couldn't exactly focus on what Lillian was saying. Scanning the crowded stadium in front of her, her wandering eyes found Ash, Dawn and Brock sitting near the top row of the stage. Dawn and some of her pokemon had donned pink cheerleading outfits to support her. Brock had a confident smile on his face, calming and encouraging. And Ash was staring at her intently, mouthing "good luck" as she walked onto the platform. He was standing up, cheering her on.

_What great friends I have…I must win this, for them._

Confidence hardened May's blue eyes. Audaciously facing the now-quiet audience, she raised a pokeball high into the air, throwing everything she had, all that she was, into her next words:

_(Words that could change a lifetime...)_

"All right Beautifly! It's time! Take the stage!"

In a burst of white light, the butterfly pokemon virtualized into view. Rising into the air, it opened its wings, immediately aiming a quick Silver Wind at the ground, showering the stadium with silver sparkles. The deliciously cool wind from the attack brushed past the crowd, and the audience gasped in delight.

May couldn't hear any of them. She was wrapped in her own art, completely immersed in her practiced routine. She raised her arms to the sky, yelling out, "Now Beautifly! Morning Sun into Psychic!"

The butterfly pokemon obeyed, flying gracefully toward the middle of the stage in practiced, measured strokes. Opening its wings to expose its vibrant colors, the tips began to glow with a dazzling light, dispersing inward toward its body. The bright rays reached far out into the stunned audience, kissing the sunlight. Then, Beautifly's eyes started to glow blue, changing the light to a faint indigo as the bug pokemon gave a powerful flap of its wings to lift the sparkles from the Morning Sun into the sky. Then, with a final bell-like shimmer, the sparkles were all surrounded by a blue aura, gathering into a bright sphere in the middle of the stage.

"Finish up with Aerial Ace!" May cried, dancing out of the way so Beautifly could conclude its performance.

The bug pokemon flipped around at once, rearing back for the attack. With a strong gust from its wings, it immediately raced headfirst toward the floating sphere of sparkles. The sphere broke apart upon contact, sending a shower of glittering stars into the crowd. Still surrounded by the shimmering effect of the attack, Beautifly then lowered itself onto May's outstretched hand, ending the performance with an almost proud flutter of its jeweled wings.

The crowd erupted with applause. Ash, Dawn and Brock were cheering the loudest, standing up out of their seats.

"What a wonderful and lovely performance! Thank you May!" Lillian announced. The judges sitting at their stands nodded in agreement. A big red "90" appeared on the billboard above their heads.

May felt a wide smile steal across her already upturned lips - _impossibly_ relieved. Bowing quickly toward the judges, she then threw her arms around her pokemon.

"Thank you so much Beautifly! You were wonderful!" she said, breathless from enthusiasm. The butterfly pokemon happily nudged its trainer, equally pleased.

Eyes still wide and radiant, May then hurried off the stage, waving to the crowd as she departed, emptying the platform for the next coordinator.

"Wow that was absolutely amazing!" Dawn said with extreme admiration, gaze still locked on the remaining sparkles that covered the stage. "May and Beautifly were completely in sync!"

Brock nodded proudly, still clapping. "Her performances get better every time I see them."

Ash didn't speak, staring at May's retreating figure with severe intensity. She had looked so confident out there, posing with her Beautifly in the brilliant glow, surrounded by happiness and joy and _light_. She was becoming so talented as a coordinator. Ash smiled softly, feeling a sudden rush of pride rise up inside of him. To think that she had started off her journey afraid of Pokemon.

"Yes, she's an amazing person, isn't she?" he murmured thoughtfully, unknowing that he had spoken. Brock and Dawn immediately sent him a strange look, surprised by the warmth in his tone.

_(I...)_

Ash blushed, blinking away the starry look in his eyes. The clapping had ceased at this point, and he sat down hastily, still unable to look away from the stage, as if May's presence had left an imprint there.

_Beautiful…_

His own emotion startled him, confused him.

_What...?_

Nothing was making much sense. Mute to the world, he petted Pikachu's head absently, a little troubled.

_May..._

"Ash? Hello? ASH! Aren't you coming? We've got to see May!" Dawn asked impatiently once more when she got no answer, waving a hand in front of his face. Both she and Brock had already turned to exit the bleachers.

Ash blinked in surprise, then hurriedly stood up and nodded. He was really out of sorts today. Distracted, more or less.

He glanced back at the stage. Another coordinator had long taken May's place.

_(Did I...?)_

The feeling was gone now. Strange. Perhaps he had imagined it.

"Right! Let's go guys! We have to congratulate her!"

* * *

May was sitting on a bench in the waiting room, feeding a pokeblock to Beautifly when Ash, Brock and Dawn came in. Seeing their arrival, she waved, the lingering smile still bright on her face.

"May! You were great! Your performance was so beautiful!" Dawn immediately gushed as she approached. Piplup, balanced on her head, cheered in agreement.

"I second that," Brock said proudly.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Ash agreed.

May waved off the accolade, face flushed. "Oh, goodness, thank you so much, really...but it's Beautifly who should be getting this praise." She reached over to pet her long-time companion on the head. "And I can't thank you guys enough! Without you, I don't think I would have done as well as I did."

"Don't be silly May," Ash said, the words spilling out before he could stop them. "You are the one who trained your pokemon so well - you would have done well regardless of our involvement..." _And you were so beau-_

Ash stopped himself, clamping down on his lips before the unfinished thought could materialize into words.

May felt color rise into her cheeks, flustered and surprised. It must be the enthusiasm in the room, contagious as it was, that was throwing all her emotions out of sorts, she decided.

_(After all, why else was her heart suddenly singing in her chest...?)_

With an infinitesimal jerk of her head, May turned away, _perhaps she was just envisioning the faint redness now dusting Ash's skin?_ and willed her hyper-focused senses to calm. For the sake of finding something else to say, she nodded toward the screen hanging in the front of the room that was broadcasting the stages of the Grand Festival.

"Well, I guess all we can do now is wait for the results," she said, forcibly injecting enough solicitude into her words to shift the subject.

Both Ash and Brock immediately turned to the interface with their usual curiosity, attention averted, catching the last few seconds of another coordinator's entry performance.

The confident smile never left Brock's face. "Don't be nervous May…you'll make the cut no problem," he said as the judges displayed a large '87' onto the screen.

"Yeah, no need to worry!" Dawn chirped in response, grinning.

Ash said nothing, eyes flickering back to May's, gauging her expression.

The rest of the first round passed by swiftly. The group of friends watched performance after performance, paying extra attention to the scores given by the judges.

92.

88.

89.

93.

May bit down on her lip nervously. There were many skilled coordinators here today. Maybe she wasn't going to make the cut after all. There were plenty of people who got higher than a 90 from the judges.

They watched Drew's, Harley's and Solidad's performances whisk by as well. All three of them tied with a score of 91.

Finally, the last coordinator finished his performance, ending with an 86.

"Well now, that concludes our first round of the Johto Grand Festival everyone! What a wonderful array of pokemon we have seen today!" Lillian announced to the anxious audience as the stage emptied and the judges cleared their panels for the announcement of final scores.

"Now, it's the moment where the judges will tally up all their scores! Out of the 65 who competed today, only 30 will advance to tomorrow's round. Now, if you please, take a look at our scoreboard!"

May's heart started to race, her hands clenched into fists.

Photos of the successful coordinators started to appear on the monitor. Dawn, Ash and Brock had their eyes glued to the screen tensely, watching the results.

10 trainers on the board, 20 to go. May's picture was not seen.

23 down, 7 left to go. Still no sign of the brown haired coordinator.

May stopped breathing.

Then, suddenly, at number 25, May's picture appeared, staring back innocently from the scoreboard.

_Oh thank goodness..._

"Way to go May!" Dawn cheered immediately, giving her a high five. May breathed out a sigh of relief, now overjoyed by the fact that she was indeed moving on to the second round.

"Never doubted you for a second," Ash disclosed brazenly, and Brock nodded in agreement.

It was a joyous moment, though small as it was. The atmosphere in the waiting room was vibrating with relief and sadness and anxiety – still overwhelming though it was subdued.

There was movement from the opposite corner of the room, and May recognized Drew and Solidad emerge from the crowd of other coordinators, walking over to her bench with what she hoped were well-wishes.

Solidad at least looked content, her hand thrust out to May's as she drew closer to them.

"Nice work out there," the older coordinator greeted as she reached the group, other hand resting lightly on her hip. Drew folded his arms from behind her, nodding in an unseen, silent agreement.

May took Solidad's hand in thanks, her smile at ease. "Oh, thanks, you did well too! I'm so glad I made it…"

She swallowed and laid her hands neatly in her lap. "Anyway, all of you looked so strong with your pokemon out there…though it's so interesting - I can't believe you tied with Drew and Harley this time around-"

Not surprisingly, right on cue, the purple haired man in question jumped into the conversation from god knows where, his grin overly pretentious.

"Yes, yes, nicely done May!" he said enthusiastically, reaching over and shaking May's hand so much that she thought it might fall off. "And you Solidad, and Drew too! Stunning, stunning performances!"

His smile went a little hard. "Well, anyway, I'd love to stay and discuss our _marvelous_ performances, but I gotta run my dearies! Just remember, you darlings won't be so lucky next round!" He laughed once and disappeared as quickly as he had come, muttering something under his breath as he left.

May blinked a few times, flexing her hand. Solidad smiled fondly at the disappearing coordinator, then turned to Ash and Brock.

"...Anyway, it's nice to see you two here again too. Come to cheer for our little May?" She grinned at the brown haired coordinator playfully, and then turned her face slightly toward the third member of the group. "And your name…is Dawn, right?" she asked, acknowledging the blue haired coordinator, sticking her hand out.

Dawn nodded and shook Solidad's hand slowly, a little awed that the Kanto Grand Festival winner was talking to her. "How do you know who I am?" she asked.

Solidad shrugged. "May told me how you were traveling with Ash now. And I saw you during the Wallace Cup while we were cheering for May." She winked; the rest of her expression was serene.

Drew cleared his throat then, as if to remind them he was standing there. He slowly extended a hand toward May, trademark smirk still in place, and she reached out to shake it back companionably.

Watching them, Ash's eyes tightened, but this went unnoticed.

_What...?_

"I have to admit May, you're performance was pretty stunning today; I'm impressed," Drew announced offhandedly as he dropped May's hand, trying to sound uncaring.

"Thank you Drew! So was yours," May replied without missing a beat, her voice bright, ignoring Drew's insistent disregard. She was used to this tone by now.

Drew rolled his eyes, then preceded to tell May about the weak points in her performance, still not willing to let up in front of another coordinator after all. May just laughed at his comments, playing along with his criticisms, knowing that he was just teasing.

_(May…?)_

Hidden by the detachment in his bored, nonchalant expression, a pair of tawny eyes watched the two interact with a different sort of hardness in their golden depths.

Well, Ash wasn't sure what it was, but he could have sworn that an uncomfortable twinge had risen in his chest when May and Drew had begun talking to each other.

_(What's...happening…?)_

The black haired boy couldn't be sure. The feeling was so negligible that it could have been a passing illusion.

Then again, as the two coordinators suddenly laughed at the same time over something they had said, the…_feeling_ only twisted harder near his heart, loud and perfectly noticeable.

_Ash…?_

Pikachu was the only one to sense its trainer's sudden tension. A little apprehensively, the electric pokemon looked up at Ash with a curious expression in its eyes.

_"Pika pi?"_

The black haired trainer didn't seem to notice.

The room had emptied a bit at this point. Drew stopped in whatever he was saying, gazing toward the leftover coordinators in the break room. His smile went a little smug, and he ran a hand through his hair for purchase.

"…all right, anyway May, I must be going. Though I admit you did well, I'm still here to warn you that you shouldn't expect to win _that_ easily; there's still tomorrow, and the many rounds after that!" He didn't miss May's slim grimace at the words, and he gave a slight vindictive smirk.

But then an odd look glinted in his eyes, and he bent to level the brown haired coordinator with a strange kind of gaze, tone suddenly quiet. "Just...be on your guard, okay? There are many great coordinators here. I would know," he said seriously, as if passing on a vital warning.

May restrained herself from sighing. Drew still had a tendency to treat her like some first-year, inexperienced coordinator.

"Yes Drew, thank you, but I realized that," she answered curtly, lips now drawn in a firm line, eyes flashing.

_For your information Drew, I'm not an ignorant fool…_

_Ash_ wasn't sure why, but his own lips curved up in a strange sort of smile as he noticed May's back straighten with her words, her eyes glittering with a prideful maturity, pushing away Drew's pretentious tone.

_Yes. Take that Drew. That's the May I know that you're speaking to…_

To his credit, the green haired coordinator didn't seem fazed, as if he had expected May's answer. With a shrug of his shoulders, he nodded stiffly in acknowledgement toward Ash and Brock, before turning calmly on his heel and walking away with Solidad.

May stared after him as he exited the waiting room. Her face was caught in a strange mixture of amusement and frustration.

_Some things just never change…_

She gave a heavy sigh, cleansing her expression, and then turned to her friends.

"Thanks again for cheering me on you guys! I won't let you down. That Ribbon Cup will be mine this year!"

* * *

Later that night, when the excitement from earlier that day had died down to a muted hum, May slipped out of her hotel room and went to sit by the lake. She was having trouble sleeping again, though it wasn't really a surprise by the point.

In her hand, she loosely held Venusaur's pokeball, wound between her gloved fingers. She decided that she might as well train, seeing that sleeping was not an option. The moonlight was brighter than it was last night, shining down on the lake's mirrory surface.

"All right Venusaur, on stage!"

There was a flash of light, and then her faithful Venusaur was standing in front of her. The Grass pokemon blinked a few times, noticing the emptiness of the night, and then looked back toward May with mild confusion in its eyes.

May bent down and patted the grass starter's head lovingly, breathing in the calming scent of Venusaur's flower.

"How are you feeling Venusaur? I couldn't sleep, so I decided that I might as well train now for tomorrow's round. What do think about that? We don't have to though if you're tired now," she explained to her pokemon softly. Her voice sounded poignantly empty in the quiet midnight.

Cheerfully as always though, Venusaur shook its head, eager to train. May felt a smile appear readily at her lips, her spirits immediately lifting at her trustworthy pokemon's enthusiasm.

"Ok then, let's get this show started!"

She stood up from the grass, positioned behind her loyal pokemon, and raised her arms toward the moon.

"All right Venusaur, let's start with Petal Dance!"

Smiling to itself, the grass starter gave a slight roar, and the air was instantly filled with small pink petals, swirling in various glittering patterns under the stars.

"Finish with Sweet Scent into Synthesis, now!"

Venusaur obeyed quickly, closing its eyes and opening its flower. A soothing aroma filled the clearing, floating past the petals and enveloping them with a subtle glow. Then, the grass pokemon's eyes shined green, and a blinding light surrounded its body. The light expanded outward, fading as it overtook the floating pink petals, causing them to fall neatly to the ground. In the wake of the final step of the performance, the petals then landed in a perfect circle around Venusaur, who posed from the center with a confident, dignified smile.

May immediately began clapping her hands, delighted that Venusaur had executed its new-learned attacks so well. She reached forward without hesitation, hugging the Grass pokemon proudly.

_Thank you …_

"Wow, that was really impressive May. Your Venusaur is getting so strong…"

May jerked up, eyes snapping open at the sound of the approving voice from behind her.

_Who…?_

"Oh..."

It was Ash.

He was standing calmly behind the brown haired coordinator now, eyes soft and relaxed and a bit shrouded from sleep, arms folded and a tranquil smile on his face. Moonlight shone down on him, accenting his features.

Time had long hardened out the childish roundness of his face, his cheekbones more prominent now under his skin. He had grown taller too, and his body was leaner, no doubt from all the traveling he had done. His golden eyes were filled with more wisdom, but still retained the determined, energetic light that May had grown so used to.

The brown haired coordinator couldn't help but blush as she noticed these changes. She looked down, hoping it was too dark for him to see her suddenly flushed expression. Her cheeks were burning with emotions that she could not identify, reasons she could not explain.

_Why is this happening…?_

"I thought you would be sleeping like the others," she said quietly, making the statement a question. The silence wasn't awkward, but it was strange. Different.

_I've never felt like this before…never so strongly..._

_(With him…)_

Ash shrugged lightly, unfolding his arms. "As you should be," he pointed out easily.

When she gave no reply, he bent and sat down on the hard ground next to her, eyes clear and patient in the moonlight. "May…"

She looked up at him as he spoke, and Ash was momentarily stunned by her hesitant gaze, eyes _so, so blue…_

The black haired boy cleared his throat. "Come on. I know something is up May. What's wrong?"

He was looking at her with such an unusual intensity that May felt the words floundering in her throat.

"Uhm…what do you mean? Nothing is wrong, nothing at all!" she trilled out of habit, forcing the words out of her suddenly heavy tongue.

Ash just stared at her disapprovingly, waiting.

_May…_

He knew her too well. May tilted her head back and gave a sigh of defeat.

"Ok, I admit it…I guess I'm just feeling…pressured after today," she confessed, looking from the stars then down to her hands. They looked curiously small and empty as she continued to explain herself.

"…I guess, there is just this…_part_ of my mind that keeps waiting for me to mess up, and then ruin my chances of winning. All my pokemon have trained so hard, and I don't want their efforts to be wasted, but just look at the last two Grand Festivals! I lost, against Drew and then Solidad…and now both of them are here in this festival again, even Harley, all stronger than ever. I don't know if I can really do it…"

The explanation was tumbling from her lips, hard to explain but there was just so much to say…

"May, stop."

The flow of words ceased, and May looked up.

Ash met her frantic eyes gently, remembering how he used to teach her about things like this back in Hoenn.

_So long ago…_

"Listen to me, May. You are much more experienced and not to mention a much more powerful coordinator than you were two years ago! There is no reason for you to think that _you_ aren't just as good – or even better – than the other coordinators out there. Think about all you've accomplished! You've won so many contests, traveled through so many places, and your style gets more beautiful and more powerful every time I see it…"

He laughed a little, feeling the same, warm pride that had overwhelmed him earlier that day when he had watched her perform in the first round.

"…I mean, you can ask Dawn - she couldn't keep her eyes off of your performance today," he recalled, and he smiled at May's flattered expression.

But then his voice went soft, and he looked down, embarrassed.

"…And…to tell you the truth, neither could I."

_Ash…?_

May looked away quickly.

_Why was her face burning again?_

She tried to shake it off, attempting to ignore the suddenly warm sensation effusing from her heart as she caught the silence after his words.

"Oh...well...thank you…"

With some difficulty, she shut the warm feeling away, that _beautiful, distracting, wonderful feeling_, and brought her anxious qualms back into the front of her mind.

"Anyway, perhaps all you say is true Ash…but then again, you still have to admit that Solidad and Drew are much better coordinators than I am," May said quietly, gesturing to nothing in particular. "Look at how much _they've_ accomplished. They've been coordinators for much longer than I've been…"

Ash shrugged. The pride was still there, _strange and unfamiliar, but still there_ - filling him with a milky warmth that he didn't even try to hide.

"True, but that doesn't mean you _can't_ be as good as they are. All these years I've known you, and it's your confidence level that hasn't changed. You look down on yourself too much. Trust me May, you are more powerful than you realize," he said.

May stared at him, surprised at the insight behind his voice. He really was no longer the immature, dense boy he used to be.

Or, at least not as much.

They both went silent then, watching the star sprinkled sky.

_Thank you…_

She didn't need to say it. He already knew. He always did.

From some time within the quiet stillness, Ash shifted in the grass to absently reach over and pat Venusaur on the head, who had been sitting serenely between them the entire time.

"Wow…I still can't imagine that this is the same Bulbasaur you met at that Grass pokemon reserve. It's gotten so strong," he picked up conversationally, smiling at the grass starter. Venusaur nudged Ash's hand affectionately, dark eyes drowsy with peaceful sleep.

May nodded, feeling a loss for words. _The night was beautiful, the moment was beautiful, and he was beautiful…_

The black haired boy gave a sigh, retracting his hand and laying both behind his head so he could lie down.

"You know May… sometimes I think my Bulbasaur really misses your Venusaur. They became great friends back then..."

May turned her head and smiled at him, remembering. "Yeah, they really were an amazing team together, weren't they?" she said softly, a pang of melancholy in those words.

_How I miss that time…back in Hoenn…_

"Yeah, they were."

Ash leaned back further and cast his glance from May's face back to the sky.

_(Did you know Ash? The feelings of a trainer are actually reflected by their Pokemon.)_

Professor Oak's words from long ago suddenly flashed through his mind, univited, uncompelled.

_Huh…?_

_(...why...why did I think of that phrase, now of all times, of all things…?)_

Before he could interpret his own thoughts though, there was movement in the grass, and May stood up.

"I really appreciate you coming out here Ash," she said quietly, an unknown emotion underlining her words. She rubbed her eyes as she smoothly returned Venusaur to its pokeball. "Uhm…I think I'll go in and rest now. Don't want to be sleepy for tomorrow's round after all."

She sent him a heartfelt smile, and Ash curved his lips naturally in response.

"Anytime May… it was no problem; that's what friends are for."

_Friends…_

The word echoed questionably in the silence. Before May could take time to think about it though, she turned away, yawning once and walking slowly back toward the hotel.

Ash stared after her, now alone in the night, wondering what it was that his emotions were trying so hard to say.

* * *

**Put some Vineshipping into that, as well as a little more advanceshipping :)...will Ash every be rid of his incredible denseness?**

**And hooray for May! She's going to the second round!**

**One question for you: Are the chapters feeling too short or too long? Give me your criticism so I can change the story for the better!**

**Reviews are always welcome :) Thank you my dear readers!**

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everyone! Hope you are all having a lovely day :)**

**Anyway, sorry for posting just one chapter for the moment...I've been experiencing the dreaded "writer's block" lately...ah, well, hopefully it will pass very soon :)**

**Disclaimer: Not owning Pokemon. Yet.**

**Happy Reading!**

* * *

"So May, are you ready for today's performance?"

May felt her hand still at the innocent query. Taking her eyes off the reflection in the mirror, she turned toward Dawn standing beside her, a brush tangled mid-stroke in her chestnut hair. Swallowing once, she gave a little shrug, a half smile on her face.

"Well…I guess I am. Though, I'm feeling all these different emotions at once, you know? But my Venusaur has trained so hard, as long as I don't mess up, I think we'll be fine."

Dawn scoffed, splashing her face with cold water. It was still early in the morning, and the two girls were getting ready for the day. The boys had already retreated downstairs to the lobby to get some breakfast, not wanting to be crowded with the morning rush.

"There's no room for doubt here May...don't think like that!" the blue haired coordinator continued as she tied on her pink scarf. "You're one of the best coordinators I've ever met; of course you'll be fine!"

May smiled a bit from her friend's reassurance, and pretended not to notice that the smile looked weak and anxious when replicated in the bathroom mirror.

She tore her gaze away from the glass before her own wandering eyes could meet her reflection's, those eyes _so openly anxious and fearful and lost_ - instead, she focused intently on fixing her hair, now bunched up in her hands. In Johto, the second round of the Grand Festival required the trainer to wear formal and dressy clothing. The appearance of both the trainer and their pokemon would then be judged along with the actual performance.

_At least this is one thing I can control..._

Groaning in slight frustration, May gave up on saving her hair and reached for the new blue dress she was planning to wear for the performance, holding it up and eyeing it speculatively.

Dawn gave an amiable sigh and tugged it out of May's hands impatiently. "Come on! Put it on already! I'll help you!" she pleaded.

May rolled her eyes good-naturedly and proceeded to strip down to her undergarments. She then slipped the dress on carefully, feeling the silken lining swish past her bare legs. She turned around so Dawn could zipper up the back, and then quickly took the hair tie again and threw her hair up into a high ponytail. She eyed herself critically in the mirror before spinning around and asking, "Well? How is it?"

Dawn squealed. "Wow! It looks so cute on you!"

"Really?" May asked, somewhat doubtful. The silky material of the sky blue dress opened up in the front to reveal a flow of white satin, tied back by a silver bow. May had added her own little touches to the outfit that included a trait from every single one of her pokemon. Three white pins in her hair that looked like the dots on Skitty's tail. A pair of Beautifly wings clipped to the bow in the back of the dress. Teal colored gloves like Munchlax's fur. Silver arm plates like the ones on Blaziken's wrists. A simple diamond cutout resting just below her collarbone like the pattern on Glaceon's fur. Small blue shoes shaped like Wartortle's tail. And a pastel pink blossom in her hair like Venusaur's flower.

She turned back to Dawn. "I mean, it's not too much, right?"

Dawn shook her head. "No, I really love it! It's so creative of you, to add a little bit of each of your pokemon to your dress. You'll win for sure!"

Enthusiasm was catching after all, May decided. She nodded at her friend, and this time her smile came with a more comfortable ease.

"Thanks Dawn," she said wholeheartedly, then proceeding to pick up the clothes she had left on the floor. Halfway through, she paused to put her ribbon necklace around her neck and slipped the People of the Water's mark into her pocket.

Dawn helped clean up, jabbering away. "No problem May! After all, you did help me a lot at the Wallace Cup; your confidence really rubbed off on me!"

_Confidence..._

May didn't reply right away, words stuck in her throat. She didn't dare raise her eyes, knowing her reflection was waiting for her in the mirror, ready to betray her carefully-put mask.

_(Do I believe...?)_

She quickly shook the feeling off, folding up her pajamas and completely turning away from her reflection in the bathroom glass.

The girl in the mirror frowned.

_Anything can happen…_

Another beat of silence, and then the brown haired girl left standing in the glass finally relented, giving a trouble sigh, the brittle smile crumbling – _or was it just revealing her true reflection?_ – before dutifully turning away as well, disappearing.

_(Turning away from herself…)_

"All right Dawn, I'm finished. Let's get down to the dining hall; I'm starving!"

* * *

After swallowing a quick breakfast of toast and jam, the two girls met up with Ash and Brock outside. It was colder than it had been the previous day, the blue grey sky holding a dampness that suggested cool rains for the afternoon. The boys were currently training a little on the wet grassy field near the hotel, sheltered in the mild shade of the morning, the sun pushing through its scattered ring of thin clouds.

"Oh! Hi there May, Dawn," Ash greeted them, looking over his shoulder as he heard them approach. "Are you-?"

He abruptly cut off mid-sentence, eyes frozen wide on May. Dawn grinned sourly and flounced into his face.

"Yes, good morning to you too," she said with a teasing acidity. Rolling her eyes with a huff, she waved her hand in front of the black haired boy's unmoving expression.

"Ash? Hello? Anyone home?"

Perched on the boy's shoulders, Pikachu patted his trainer's suddenly tense arms nervously. "_Pika pi_?"

Ash didn't move for another half-second, but then something in his expression unlocked, and he blinked a few times, coming back to the present.

"W-what? Sorry, what were you saying?" he asked distractedly, one hand finding its way hesitantly to his temple.

May's cheeks flared, but went along with it and curtsied slightly. "It's not too much, right Ash?"

She couldn't help but notice the words falling off her tongue had adopted a sort of demure cadence without her permission.

But the black haired boy just shook his head, apparently having gained back his normal disposition in the few seconds that passed between them. He gave his characteristically bright smile – _that dense, impassive, clueless smile_ – his voice at its normal, boyish quality of nonchalance.

"No, not at all May! You look…"

He paused, as if something had swallowed his next words, a dim echo of the emotions that had just previously frozen him in place once again flitting across his face.

_Beautiful, absolutely beautiful..._

The words refused to come out.

_Why can't I just say it?_

"...wonderful."

The last word finally made its way from his lips, tentative, but with definite feeling.

May's face went redder._ I'm just not used to flattery_, she repeated to herself, as if saying it enough would make it reality. _I'm blushing from embarrassment. That's all it is._

Brock approached them then, inadvertently interrupting the moment.

"Wow, great dress May! It's for the festival, right?"

May blinked, her blue eyes momentarily blank before she turned gratefully to the spiky-haired breeder with a nod.

"Yeah, it is! I'm glad you like it..."

She laughed nervously.

"Anyway, speaking of which, I guess I should train a little now!" She fumbled through her collection of pokeballs before withdrawing Venusaur's and tossing it quickly into the air.

"Now Venusaur! Let's go!"

Setting her mind to firmly channel all her focus into her performance, May hastily launched herself into her routine, calling out Venusaur's attacks one after another. Supportively, Brock and Dawn stayed nearby, watching and critiquing the choreographed moves. Petals flew and the clearing was immediately filled with sweet smells and sparkles.

Surprisingly, Ash felt no desire to join them, instead allowing Pikachu off his shoulders and toward the rest of the group. When alone, the black haired boy searched for a bench near the field, absently sitting down when he reached it, his eyes never leaving the performance.

But he wasn't watching Venusaur. Not even when the grass starter released a particularly long stream of glistening petals, swirling conspicuously in front of his face. On any other occasion, he would have gasped at the power in that attack, perhaps wanting to study it more carefully.

But no. He was watching May.

It was like staring into the sun, so bright, yet so beautiful that his eyes were naturally drawn there. She was smiling her special optimistic smile, lighting up the rest of her features. The blue fabric of the dress brought out her shining eyes, now wide with concentration. Had he not noticed her beauty before? It was like waking up from a long sleep.

It wasn't just outer beauty though, Ash decided to himself. There was her inner beauty that truly made her special. May was probably the most selfless, kind and cheerful person he had ever known. He gave a smile, sifting through the memories of their travels in Hoenn and Kanto. Only now did he fully appreciate them.

_May..._

His eyes flickered shut, repeating her name as it rolled pensively off his tongue.

Truth be told, it was lost to him exactly _why_ he was thinking such thoughts - it was confusing, overwhelming. He couldn't even seem to place a _name_ to the strange emotions he was feeling – they appeared out of place, but at the same time, so real, so _right_. It unnerved him a little, feeling so out of control.

But, as he continued to watch the girl he had so long ago introduced to the pokemon world, _so real, so alive, so beautiful_ - he could no longer deny that he wasn't feeling..._something_.

Something different. Something new.

And he had no idea what it was.

Still silenced from his conscience, his heart gave a weary, inaudible, frustrated sigh.

It was in the sudden lack of sound that Ash let his eyes flash back open. He had been so deep within his musings that he hadn't even noticed that May had paused in her training. While Brock, Dawn and Pikachu had wandered off to the picnic tables scattered along the walkway to relax though, May was a little ways aside, talking to Drew, who had apparently joined her in their little training session, seeing that his Roserade was standing beside him.

Ash felt a frown crease his features. Their words were undecipherable since he wasn't close enough. Casually, he decided to stand up, stretching up from the bench and ambling toward the pair of coordinators to better hear what they were saying.

"…yes your Venusaur is strong, I have to admit, but I think my Roserade is stronger. Remember that contest back in Mahogany Town?" Drew was saying. For the festival, he was dressed in a tuxedo with a corsage, and his hair was smoothed back.

May laughed once. "That shouldn't count at all. You were just lucky that time."

Drew rolled his eyes, but there was a smile on his face. He then reached into the back pocket of his suit jacket, extracting a rose, twirling the stem in his fingers before handing it to May.

"In any case, good luck. You'll need it," he said as he held up the flower. May scoffed, taking the rose anyway and smiling in thanks.

Drew sent her another anomalous smile, edged with something...like _victory?_ before turning on his leather dress shoes and striding away.

May stared after him with a wistful expression on her face, holding the flower gently in her hands, not noticing the black haired boy standing behind her, his expression almost shocked.

Ash swallowed hard and turned away quickly, retreating, not wanting May to notice him leave. His hands had, unbeknownst to him, clenched into fists, and his eyes were hard.

_She...she took the rose…_

_...like she always does…_

Ash wasn't sure why the thought suddenly bothered him so much; why he felt as though his heart was constricting in his chest.

The feeling was back.

_I...don't understand..._

Then, suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, head snapping up, staring toward nothing in particular as a new thought occurred to him.

_No..._

He hadn't even considered the option before. Never. It never crossed his mind before, no matter how many times Drew and May had communicated back in Hoenn, in Kanto, _no matter how many times he had watched them interact_ - he had never realized this, never even _cared_...

But now that it was staring at him straight in the face, he couldn't believe that he hadn't ever seen it until now.

How had he not noticed this before? Had he never seen the connection? Or had he just simply _not cared_?

_Drew and May…_

_They're..._

_…together…?_

The names rang over and over in Ash's head. Flipping through the recollections of his travels, of May's contests and of meeting Drew, Ash blanched as he repeatedly saw the_ roses_, Drew's _roses_, appearing again and again in each snapshot of his memories.

…And each time, May had taken the roses without hesitating…

A new feeling was intruding upon his memories, introducing a new, _unfamiliar_ emotion, crowding the space where it had once been absent, coiling with acerbic strength.

Ash paled further, remembering, _reliving_ those memories that had once meant nothing to him, once held _no significance_ to him whatsoever, all of which were now _burning_ with this new feeling. He remembered each red petal May had held, how that soft look had entered her eyes upon the touch, the look that Ash suddenly wished had been meant _only for him_-

His whole face felt cold.

And only now could he distinctively remember that one contest, the one where May and Drew had faced off after their loss at the Kanto Grand Festival. Both of them had disappeared after the contest, and the next time Ash had found them, they had been talking near the bridge, bathed in the light of the sunset. What had they talked about? Had he not seen the significance of that?

Ash was now sitting on another bench outside of the hotel. He stared blankly ahead, unseeing.

_May and Drew..._

He felt trapped within his memories, seeing them in a new light, one that was too bright, too harsh, regressing his thoughts-

_May, why did you have to leave us? Leave me?_

That question had haunted him ever since she had left. She had left for Johto all by herself, without even a proper goodbye. Of course, at the time, he had put on a false smile, encouraging her to pursue her dreams, but that wasn't true in the whole sense. He wanted her to be happy of course, but he missed her everyday, missed her company, _her smile and her laughter_, no matter if he was in a gym battle or just traveling to a new city.

But friends had to part ways, he would remind himself every time. She would have left eventually, to chase after her dreams. And he _had_ wanted that for her - for her to truly reach her goals - he hadn't ever wanted to take that away from her.

Even so, sometimes, while watching the stars at night by a dying campfire, he would wonder why he missed _her_ so much. Just her. Only her. He had traveled with many other friends before - their departure, their parting of ways, was a normal thing. It happened, and he accepted it. It made him sad, it always did, but what he felt when May left was...different.

_But why was she different?_

He never answered that question for himself. The thought didn't come_ that_ often after all. He blamed it on nostalgia, on fatigue. And after a momentary pause, his hand curling around that half ribbon he had won with her, that special ribbon, he would then all but forget his introspections, easily caught up in excitement for his next adventure through the many cities of Sinnoh.

But this time...

New emotions had risen so fast that he was hardly able to catch up. From just the span of one day - _had it only been one day?_ - from the moment he had knocked on her hotel room door, to giving her the gift, to watching her in the first round of the Grand Festival, to their conversation last night by the lake..._new_ emotions had all crashed down on him for the very first time.

And, frustratingly so, he _still_ didn't know what the emotions meant.

Why did he feel different around her now? _Why? Why now?_

What had _changed_?

Had she changed? Or had _he himself_ changed?

_(What was that warm feeling in his heart when he watched her down on that contest stage? What was that...discomfort he felt when she talked with Drew?)_

Why didn't she just go with him to Sinnoh…?

_Because she had been following Drew._

_Oh..._

Of course.

His question seemed silly now, seeing that he knew the answer. He scoffed at his stupidity, to have missed something so simple. _She had left him for Drew._

The sudden anguish he felt at this revelation shocked him, only confused him even more.

_She left me for Drew..._

The rational part of his mind spoke up suddenly, loud and clear for the first time from the midst of his musings, having struggled past the questions in his mind, breaking through, chastising him.

_Wait, why should you even care? Drew is her** rival**. She's supposed to follow him._

True. The rational voice had a point. But that still didn't explain…

_Why should you care?_

_Why do you care?_

Ash didn't even know the answer to his own question. Why had he been admiring May's appearance just seconds ago? Why was it that every time he saw Drew standing with May, or even when he _thought_ about Drew, it suddenly made his heart feel like it was tightening in his chest?

_What changed?_

And why, of all things, did it only take one smile from her to make him feel the strangest sense of happiness? He couldn't quite remember feeling such an emotion before when he had been traveling with her...perhaps there had been..._something_...but now, the feeling was much more potent, so much more different…

_Was he...jealous of Drew?_

_But why?_

_Why did he even care?_

"Hey guys!"

He jolted into an upright position, eyes wide like a frightened child, as Brock's loud voice suddenly broke through his unsettled revelations.

"…The second round is starting in a few minutes! I think we should get going," he was saying, glancing toward the large clock that hung above the hotel's front door. He threw the rest of his supplies into the front pocket of his knapsack and stood up.

May's eyes shot toward the clock, and Ash felt a mild surprise. When had they gathered around his bench anyway? Dawn, Brock and May...he hadn't been lost in his thoughts for that long, had he? Hadn't the three of them still been over at the picnic tables just seconds ago-?

"Oh my goodness Brock, you're right! I need to be there a little early for lineups and get our new numbers!" May looked flustered, and she quickly smoothed down her hair, checked her pockets for all her pokeballs.

"Okay, guys, I really have to go then! Wish me luck!"

Without another word, she ran off, trying to keep her dress in pristine condition while at the same time trying to hurry.

_Wait...!_

_She's leaving...again...?_

Ash's mind cleared somewhat, his voice sounding from his throat, out of its own accord.

"Wait…May!"

He stumbled into a standing position, head still spinning from the lingering aftershock of his disconcerting thoughts.

But she had long run off. Ash stared after her in slight despair. He didn't even get to say anything to her, not even wish her a 'good luck'.

_May…_

He heaved a sigh and let it go. As he moved to turn around though, there was something red on the pavement under his feet that caught his peripheral vision. Something must have fluttered out of May's pocket when she took off, he decided. Hesitantly, he bent down, focusing his eyes on it, picking the object up.

It was Drew's rose.

Brock cleared his throat, slinging on his knapsack and stretching once.

"All right gang, I think we should get going too! We need to make it to the stadium before all the good seats are taken."

"Yeah, and those seats _will_ be taken if you Slowpokes don't get moving!" Dawn said with a laugh. She was already halfway down the path, Piplup bouncing along after her.

"Come on you guys, we don't have all day! Let's go!"

Brock chuckled and followed after her. Ash trailed a little behind.

_Why do you care?_

_What changed…?_

His eyes moved to the sun held between the trees, now hidden by thickening grey clouds, tumultuous, like his feelings.

From under his feet, Pikachu struggled to catch up to Ash, leaping onto its trainer's shoulder as it reached him, ever-patient, still curious, eyes filled with unspoken concern at the black haired boy's unusually distant behavior.

"_Pika pi, pikachu_?"

Ash didn't respond right away, just shaking his head mutely, walking forward, staring torpidly at his shuffling feet.

"It's nothing Pikachu. Don't worry about me..."

_May..._

_I can't...understand..._

_But even so…_

He cast his gaze toward the rose still threaded in his gloved hand, as if surprised to see it still there – _Drew's rose, the rose she always takes_ – the velvet red petals submissively silent and pristine, as if mocking him.

_May…and…Drew…_

His fingers closed around the rose.

_Impossible…_

* * *

"All right Venusaur, here we are," May whispered to the pokeball nestled in her hands, her eyes studiously watching the screen hanging from the ceiling. There were coordinators scattered throughout the waiting room; the excitement and anxiety in the air became almost tangible as the seconds dripped by. Round two was always a harder event to pass, because out of the 30, only 16 would go on to the finals.

"Thank you so much contestant number 14! Now, would coordinator number 15 please get ready and report to the stage?" Lillian Meridian's voice echoed through the speakers in the room, hardly noticeable as it filtered past the roar of the crowd, the voices of the other coordinators.

May didn't react for a half-second, but then realized that 15 was her new lineup number. She stood up quickly, smoothing the material of her dress and exited the break room, walking stiffly down the long hallway leading toward the stage. As she finally reached the entryway, she paused, waiting for the previous coordinator to fully make his exit.

_(Do I believe…?)_

Time must have been moving faster as a result of her anticipation. Only a few seconds later, Lillian announced, "All right! Now, for our next coordinator, it's May!"

May took a deep breath, steeled herself, and walked out into the center of the platform. It was slightly misting now - the spray creating an almost ethereal glow around the battlefield, nestled under the grey sky – the dampness felt cool and wet against her flushed face. Staring up toward the darkened clouds blocking the sun, she threw Venusaur's ball high into the air.

"Okay Venusaur! Take the stage!"

The grass Pokemon materialized into view. In an incredible agile movement that seemed almost impossible for a Pokemon of its size, it released its Vine Whip down onto the stage, then flipped once and landed with perfect balance onto the platform, sending an echoing thud throughout the stadium as the movement brought up billowing clouds of mist.

The crowd cheered in eagerness. May waited for a lull in the cheers before pointing high towards the silver clouds. "All right Venusaur! Let's start with a Petal Dance, now!"

The grass starter obeyed quickly, releasing a swirling vortex of petals straight into the wind. They surrounded both May and Venusaur in twirling patterns, glittering with an almost mystifying quality as they weaved through the weak beams of muted sunlight, stunning the judges. May spun in sync with the petals, shouting out, "Great job Venusaur! Now, give them a Sweet Scent into Synthesis combination!"

With the skill that only a very experienced pokemon could execute, Venusaur immediately let out a sweet smelling scent from its flower that circled in rings around the glittering petals. The air immediately became colored with a dusty pink, covered like a shimmering veil. Then, Venusaur ducked its head, closing its eyes, its whole body glowing green as it began its Synthesis attack. The grass pokemon let out a loud cry as the green glow brightened and expanded outward-

But then it stopped.

May's eyes went wide with confusion and panic.

_What happened-?_

It only took a second for her experienced blue eyes to avert toward the misting sky, taking in the weak, thin beams of sunlight straining through the thick cloud cover, realization poisoning the confidence left in her expression.

_No! I forgot – the mist, the clouds - there's not enough sunlight to power the attack! Synthesis is too weak!_

Venusaur seemed to realize what was wrong at the same second its trainer did. Its body was still glowing with a slight green tinge, but the Petal Dance attack was now swirling out of control - pattern-less.

The crowd gave a collective gasp. Dawn bit her lip, confused and worried, and Brock choked out, "Synthesis is a move that can easily be affected by the weather – this morning, there was still adequate sunlight, but now with the condition of the sun, there is no way it can be strong enough to finish the performance-!"

Ash couldn't hear what his friend was saying, but knew exactly what was wrong. His hands tightened into fists, eyes brightened with anxiety for May as they stared, directly at her frozen face, wishing, hoping, _willing that she would know what to do-!_

Down on the battlefield, May knew that she was going to have think of something and fast. Her eyes leaving the sky and toward her loyal pokemon, she reached for the ribbon half hanging around her neck, crying out, "Venusaur, use Razor Leaf, now!"

"_Venusaaaauur_!" The grass pokemon gave a loud cry to bring the audience's attention back to the field, quickly leaping into action. From its flower, it released a torrent of sharp, crescent shaped leaves, flying high into the air and cutting through the swirling petals, scattering them on the stage floor.

May crossed her fingers, putting whatever lingering trust she had into her pokemon.

"Now! Use Vine Whip to bring the leaves down!"

Venusaur nodded once and immediately released its powerful green vines, striking the leaves. They had done this same routine long ago, in a contest in Hoenn, and May fervently hoped that Venusaur would remember.

The grass starter did. With perfect accuracy, it shot down the rest of the leaves, and they fell to the ground along with the petals. With a final flourish of its vines, Venusaur then swept the petals and leaves into a wide arc, finishing the act in a confetti-like shower of fragrance, reminiscent like that of the sweet blooms of spring.

There was another gasp, and then the crowd went wild, clapping and whistling. In the stands, Ash, Brock and Dawn all let out a relieved sigh. They hadn't taken a breath since the performance had gone awry.

"Wonderful job May!" Lillian said excitedly, glancing toward the panel of judges. A look of confusion flitted across her face as she saw one of the oldest judges waving her forward. But with a suddenly knowing smile, she nodded and walked over, holding out her microphone.

"Mr. Contesta? Do you have something to add? Can you give us your opinion?"

The wise judge nodded once, and the crowd quieted. "Well, I just want to say that, to begin with, both May and Venusaur had creative and well-groomed appearances today, so that definitely wins points from me. For the performance, I want to point out that, while the overall effect was beautiful, but I still have to take in account that Pokemon and coordinator were not completely in sync. Though the following performance to make up for that mistake was wonderful, I must still take off some points for that."

Having explained thoroughly, the judge then gave a nod to the others, and he clicked a button on his stand to calculate the total score. A large "86" appeared on the screen above their heads, bright red and final.

May's shoulders slumped slightly. Standing next to her, Venusaur hung its head and let out a dejected sigh. May noticed and quickly tried to put on a smile, hugging her beloved pokemon tightly.

"Oh, Venusaur, please don't feel bad. It's not your fault at all. I should have realized there wasn't enough sunlight…and your performance after that was completely wonderful! I'm so incredibly proud that you were able to pull that off at a split-second's notice."

Venusaur looked up with a half-smile and nudged its trainer. May returned it with a bright smile, feeling a mixture of gratitude and sadness trickling through her system. Standing back up, she then gave a bow and walked off the stage, her pokemon following close behind.

From the audience, Ash, Brock and Dawn all stood up hastily, rushing to the waiting room without another word.

* * *

Sinking against the wall in the common room, May gave Venusaur a pokeblock and returned it to its pokeball. As the light faded, she whispered soothing words to the red and white sphere before walking slowly to one of the tables and sitting down. Staring into nothingness for another second, she bit her lip, utterly spent, before burying her face in her hands.

A disaster. And it was all her fault. How was she going to advance to the finals now? With a score like that, she had no chance.

There were footsteps from behind her. She sat up quickly and hastened to put a cheerful smile on her face, watching warily as her friends approached.

"Nice job May!" Dawn said, coming over to give her a high five. May returned it wearily and Dawn scoffed toward the screen. "Those judges didn't know what they were talking about. Don't worry about it."

Brock winked. "Yeah, there's nothing to worry about. I'm sure you'll make it to the finals anyway."

Ash nodded, folded his arms, sitting down on the bench next to May.

"I know everything will be just fine. This is you we're talking about, remember?" he said, smiling, trying to catch her eyes.

His smile was troubled though, a strange tenor leaking through that May could not read.

She looked away from his face. "Thanks guys; but really, I don't know what to do..."

_(I don't deserve your kind words...)_

The rest of the round was one of the longest May had ever experienced. The waiting room was soon filled with more coordinators, all fretting over the fact that they hadn't done well enough. With each passing minute, May felt her hands tighten against the tabletop, knuckles white.

_Please..._

"Okay! It looks like we are finally finished with the second round! Out of our 30 talented coordinators today, 16 will advance to the finals! Our judges will now announce the finalists - attention to the scoreboard please!"

The announcement was like a rock cracking the icy tension in the air. Everyone seemed to look toward the board at the same time, holding their breaths and crossing their fingers. The anxiety that ran down May's spine was so familiar that she almost gave a delirious laugh.

3 down, 13 to go.

_(I don't know if I...)_

5 down, 11 to go.

_(...still believe...)_

15 down, one more to go.

_(...in myself...)_

The last result came so slow that May wondered if time had stopped.

_Beep._

The finalists were all shown.

And May was not one of them.

_No..._

_(I don't believe-)_

It took another full second for her to process this. Even then, she could not take her eyes off the screen, face frozen.

_It...can't be..._

The room began to increase in volume, time started to move once more, the second hand ticking forward without a care in the world. Delighted coordinators celebrated with their friends, while the ones who hadn't made the finals carped in frustrated dejection.

Only Brock, Ash, Dawn and May seemed to stay silent, all stuck in poses of disbelief.

_(It's just not possible...that...)_

Dawn was the first to snap out of the trance, her eyes darkening once she realized the reality of the situation.

"Oh no…I'm so sorry..."

May tried blinking away the sudden wetness in her eyes. When had the tears started forming?

"No, don't be," she said softly, numbly. "...Really. I'm...okay."

She lowered her head, her hair obscuring her face, hiding the brittle lie.

Brock's mouth turned down at the corners. "This can't be true…"

May shook her head, not daring to look up, biting her lip to keep the tears, the _stupid_, burning tears, away.

Ash felt unable to speak, his own throat constricting in pain and sadness - pain for _her_. It was odd, how _much_ it _hurt_ to see those eyes closed in sadness, her hands clenched in disbelief, lips broken into a thin line that seemed on the verge of shaking.

_Those lips should never frown_, he thought wildly, thrown by the deep _hurt_ now resonating from his..._heart-_

_(so out of place...those tears looked so wrong on her skin...)_

He was suddenly taken by the urge to comfort her, to hold her in his arms _where he could protect her from breaking apart_ - even though he knew that any words he would say would only be empty promises. Yet, in that moment, the urge was suddenly so strong that he almost _did_-

_(I...can't...)_

But he couldn't. His mind wouldn't let him. No, his confused, foolish _heart_ wouldn't let him.

So, instead, all he could do was reach over, taking her hand in a moment of courage, squeezing the limp, delicate palm, before quickly letting go.

Too deep within her anguished, voiceless shock, May couldn't even bring herself to notice.

They were all silent for another brief moment, wrapped in their personal meditations. May debated on whether or not to just get up and leave. Dawn, having suffered a blow in her confidence before, wondered if she should say something. However, after seeing the hidden expression in her friend's blue eyes, she decided it would be best to remain silent. Ash and Brock stayed awkwardly on either side of the distraught coordinator, both wanting to help but not knowing what to do.

_(Perhaps I should just...go...)_

Suddenly, Lillian's voice rang out from the speakers over their heads. Every remaining person in the room turned to look at the screen in detached surprise.

"Oh, I'm so sorry everyone! Goodness, this is a bit embarrassing...but it seems that we made a mistake in the results!"

Everyone stopped moving, their faces stiffening into varying expressions.

_A...mistake...?_

"We're so sorry contestant number 27, but it is actually contestant number 15 who got 16th place! It is May who will be moving on to the finals! We had a problem with the system...it matched the wrong point values to the wrong coordinator...ah, we apologize so much for the error! Please, would both contestant 27 and 15 come to the front panel and we will explain..."

_(A...mistake...)_

May had stopped listening, stopped caring, the only important words repeating themselves in her mind-

_It is May who will be moving on to the finals…_

_(Impossible...!)_

Were there still miracles in this world? There must be. May felt the veil of tears finally spilling from her eyes, though this time, they were tears of joy.

_Impossible, impossible joy..._

Dawn cheered, jumping up and down in amazement. "Ah! No way! You made it May! You made it!"

Brock was laughing, shaking his head, "Wow, of all the things to get wrong...this is wonderful May!"

Ash was laughing too, in wonderment, in _relief_, and the slowly returning smile on May's face was making him _so happy-_

He reached over again, caught up in his excitement and once again took her hand, this time not pulling away.

"I knew you could do it! I just _knew_."

May blinked her vision clear and finally broke into a peal of laughter as well, holding onto Ash's hand, for once letting the blush on her face just _glow_, because the moment was just_ full_ of _impossible_ joy, and nothing could go wrong-

Somewhere in recesses of her mind, she still had the decency to feel sorry for contestant number 27, her elation turning a bit sheepish and regretful.

_(maybe I should go and comfort him or her when I get the chance...)_

Oh _hell_. She could truthfully care less right now. Ash's hand was warm and so_ real_ in hers, and she was _moving on to the finals_-

_(she was floating on the raft of stars, head in the clouds, and she never wanted to fall back to earth-)_

May squeezed Ash's hand tighter, looking up toward the ceiling, so, _so_ thankful...

"I'm really moving on. I'm going to the finals."

* * *

**All right! We got to see Ash's inner feelings this time - quite conflicted, isn't he? And quite angsty. Ah, well, hope everyone enjoyed it!**

**There may be a few grammer mistakes here and there...I was kind of rushing to post this, so I didn't take as much time as usual to pick out the errors. If you find any, please don't hesitate to point them out to me :)**

**Once again, I am always immensely grateful for all the reviews, favorites, alerts...it truly stuns me. Thank you so much you guys – I don't feel that I deserve to have wonderful readers like you :)**

**Until next time!**

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again! How is everyone today?**

**Ah, I'm **_**so **_**sorry for not updating...schoolwork and tests and other things have piled up, so I don't have as much time as before. I will try to write as much as I can, and I am always very thankful for your patience. :)**

**Anyway, I apologize in advance for this short chapter. The next chapter is going to be **_**very**_** long, so I wanted to put this up separately. Also since I wanted to post at least **_**something**_** for you guys... ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. Why would I be writing fanfictions if that wasn't the case?**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

**EDIT 7/04****/11: Out of all the chapters that I have changed during my intense 'polishing stage' - this chapter has changed the most. I might as well have erased the entire document and restarted xD Ah, well, tell me what you think!**

* * *

The sky was beautifully aglow, shining like his smile.

They were walking down the path, his footsteps leading her somewhere, going someplace deep into the forest... though she honestly didn't care, really. All that mattered was that _he_ was there alongside her, _finally _together, and there was no such thing as _leaving_ or _goodbyes_ - not when she was no where near ready to let him go again.

She smiled then, watching as he turned towards the clouds, the light of the falling sun illuminating his face, the soft wind ruffling his black hair. He was smiling, with her, _at her_, creating a lovely dust of pink to touch her skin.

He reached over then, hesitantly, his amber gaze almost shy, to hold her hand. She responded eagerly, wounding her fingers around his in a sort of idle contentment.

But that was when she realized something was utterly wrong.

She couldn't feel his hand.

In alarm, she looked down, shocked to see that Ash's fingertips were still woven around someone's hand, which she automatically realized _was not hers_.

Her eyes trailed up, suddenly noticing for the first time that she had _not_ been walking with Ash at all - she had been watching _someone else_ walking next to him.

Unable to speak, unable to call out, she watched the strolling pair, feeling something terribly acidic _burning_ through her heart when _he_ stopped walking to gently caress the hair that had fallen into _her _eyes, eyes that changed from grass green to a blue that was _not _her own, the hair flickering in the feeble light from flaming orange to a rippling blue- and then _he _leaned over once more to brush _her _cheek with _his_ lips-

(Lips that should be meant _only _for her, and not for anyone else.)

It was that thought however that truly threw her off - May had not been expecting such a feeling to suddenly be coursing _violently_ through her body - she should _not _be thinking that way, it was _wrong, (it was right!), _it was completely _confusing-_

_(Why, why, why, why-?)_

Down below, where her senses could not reach, the black haired boy was _laughing, _the girl next to him (faceless, nameless, yet so horribly _familiar_-) was laughing as well, the sunset embracing them and _only them_...

She found her voice again, and she tried to scream, tried to call his name.

"Ash!"

He didn't turn around, didn't react.

"Ash!"

She was running now, the bare soles of her feet hitting the dusty road but not getting closer-

"Ash! Please! Come back-!"

And that was when the dream forcibly veered off course, sending her tumbling, falling-

_(Ash!)_

* * *

May's eyes snapped open to the quiet darkness of her hotel room.

"…_please…"_

Blinking her darkened blue eyes, heavy and disoriented, the brown haired coordinator lay frozen for another uncertain second, as if having forgotten how to move or even breathe. She could feel that her fingers had painfully twisted themselves into the golden chain around her neck, gripping the ribbon half tightly.

Slowly, May felt her nerves come back to life, and she untangled herself, deliberately feeling each movement as she released the ribbon and unclasped the necklace, laying it on the bedside table, not bothering to switch on the light.

(_What was that all about?)_

Still blurry and muffled from sleep, the brown haired coordinator slipped out of bed quietly, not wanting to wake her friends, sleeping in their sleeping bags around her room. She maneuvered her way toward the French doors overlooking the balcony, sitting down in front of the unopened entrance and feeling the cool air seeping through the thin crack. It was raining slightly outside now, heavy clouds swathing the moon in a dark blanket.

May stared blankly out into the night, seeing her reflection in the windowed glass. But this time, her reflection wasn't staring back with clear cut nervousness and fear and doubt.

Instead, it was quietly watching the night with wide eyes, lacking their usual shine, the expression on the edge of crumpling into a million pieces.

_(Pleading. Agony. Sadness.)_

Expelling a troubled breath, May leaned against the door frame, listening to the whispering rain and the peaceful music of her friends' breathing. The dream was already fading, but it didn't diminish any of the emotion it had left behind. What was this feeling anyway? She had never had a dream like this before.

_(Lips, touching, brushing-)_

_(...all not hers...)_

"_Ash!"_

It was odd, how quickly a dream could disappear, as she could only remember bits and pieces now, sharp like glass splinters.

However, standing out from the other broken fragments scattered through her mind and constantly replaying itself in her thoughts, was that _one _feeling, the _burning _in her _heart_-

May pressed her knuckles to her forehead, trying not to remember. Now that she thought it out, the dream really didn't have any significance. It sounded silly when just played out in front of her tired eyes, blank and unfeeling like a picture on a story book page.

But it _hadn't_ been like that. That dream, that feeling alone, had brought thoughts and emotions rushing to the front of her mind, stabbing her heart and her lungs from where they had been buried, hidden, for god knows how long.

The emotions weren't new. Her feelings for _him _were anything but new. May knew this, knew it _clearly_.

(Even so...)

She forced a laugh, a breathless, quiet laugh that held no sort of joy.

It was too good to be true. She had known that all along.

The _delight_, the _impossible, joyous _truththat Ash had come to personally watch _her _Grand Festival, to cheer _her _on - she had known that the happiness wouldn't last long, that a dream like the one now fading mercifully from her fingertips had just been _waiting _to fall upon her unconscious mind. Her heart had long been given too many doubts for her to believe any sort of happiness.

_It was like love after all. One moment in the pooling, candied sunshine, and then the next second, crashing back to earth..._

_(Because it is love.)_

May blinked, the hidden, subconscious voice, (deep, deep, _deep_) within her mind breaking through for what seemed to be the first time.

_Is it...?_

_She_ wasn't dense. She knew exactly what love was. She had seen it in movies, in books, in art and music. She had come across love many times on her adventures, (ones _with _him, no less!) enjoying the romantic aspect of it all, of helping others find their unrequited happy endings. It fascinated her, the way two people could just _click_, like the perfect tag battle team, glowing in the warm lights, like Volbeat and Illumise above a shining lake, or the fragile pair of...swimming...Luvdisc...

Memories came, and, even though they were the familiar ones that she thought of often, they flickered before her widened eyes with a _new _sort of emotion this time around, as if they _were_ new, and May blushed heavily, glad that no one could see.

_(That he couldn't see.)_

She may have seen love portrayed many times over, but the feeling was still new to _her_. She recognized it, yes, strongly at that, but her _heart_ was experiencing it for the first time.

And it was quickly getting overwhelmed.

She shook her head before her thoughts could run ahead and further, dragging herself back to original argument, that original thought.

_(Do I...?)_

May bit her lip, turning the epiphany over in her head with the name it was associated with. She didn't dare turn around and look at his sleeping face though, knowing it would just confuse her all over again.

Did she though? Did she…?

_(...love him...)_

"…_love _him?"

There. She had finally said it. Whispered it, to sleeping ears nevertheless, but she had _said it_.

She sat in stillness for a few seconds after that, as if waiting for something to happen. She always imagined that a moment like this would cause some sort of disturbance, physical or emotional, good or bad, she did not know. The sky could fall at her words, her personal sky or that of any other - she never really decided.

But all that happened was the continuous rise and fall of her friends' combined breaths, the beating of her heart, the patter of rain against the French doors.

As far as she was concerned, the sky stayed right where it was.

But something _was _different. She could feel it, as fleeting as the emotion was. Something in her heart was singing, joyous and free, fluttering in a golden, fraction of a second-

May automatically pushed the feeling back, checking quickly through her memories,(_methodical, she reminded herself - look at this rationally-) _remembering all the times she had traveled with Ash, in Hoenn, in Kanto, and then the brief visit in Sinnoh for the Wallace Cup. She thought back to all the priceless memories, every one of his smiles, every word of his encouragement, and each time he had been there for her, to either save her from imminent danger, or to just teach her something about pokemon, or just to throw her a reassuring glance when she most needed one.

She pressed her forehead against the cold glass of the door pane, no longer in control of what her emotions were trying so desperately to tell her.

_I…love…Ash?_

Deep down in her conscience, the voice agreed again, loudly, feeling a sense of relief, of _rightness_.

A strange smile quirked its way to her lips.

_(The voice was right.)_

There had always been _something_ she had felt towards Ash Ketchum, something definitely more than just platonic ambiguity. It had always been there, since that first day she had met him, but the emotion had always been buried deep under other things, under stress and other distractions, other _people..._so much that she had almost never noticed the feeling. She had denied it all this time, out of shock, out of fear - and there had always been _priority _to think about, her contests, her pokemon, her _dream_...

She didn't have a choice then. Her heart, her emotions...they all came last.

And, at the time, her..._feelings _for himhadn't been nearly strong enough to override that belief.

_(_besides_...his_ adventurous spirit would never want to be caged...)

But, as such, those _thoughts _and _emotions _had never disappeared- only waited in her mind, growing, manifesting, _blooming_ - and now she was unable to suppress them any longer.

Perhaps it was seeing him again that really forced those feelings out of the containment they had been locked in before. It must be, because seeing Ashagain was throwing everything she had ever known out of balance.

_He reached over to grab my shoulders, looking into my eyes to emphasize his point. I couldn't breathe, much less hear what he was saying. All I could focus on were his auburn eyes and hoped fervently that he couldn't hear my pounding heart._

_Everything seemed right at that moment as we fought side by side. I saw him throw me a quick smile of encouragement and thanks, his eyes sparkling with excitement. I was quick to return that smile, feeling utterly at one with him as we called to his Corphish and my Skitty to get rid of Team Rocket once and for all._

_I couldn't help but turn away quickly when Oscar and Andi claimed that we were a couple. I folded my arms and averted my eyes, trying furiously not to hope and believe their words, though my stubborn denial probably gave me away._

_As I clung to the rough tree branch, I sighed once in relief as he came toward me, reaching out with his hand to pull me to safety. It was ridiculous how sudden the feeling of security rushed through me as his hand grabbed onto mine. As Brock and Max pulled us back up, I stared at him and he stared back at me, and even I could see the relief in his eyes._

_I was aware that he was staring at me as we were both leaning casually on the railing of the abandoned ship. I tried to not focus on his gaze, sipping my soda and taking a small bite of my cookie as to distract myself. It wasn't until he spoke that I looked up, lapsing back into casual conversation as if nothing had happened._

_I saw the Donphan rolling toward me, but could not react, shock pinning me down in place. Through my peripheral vision, I saw him lunge toward me, arms extended. He grabbed my around my waist and hurled both of us to the ground, the Donphan rolling safely past. He was up then, arm still at the small of my back, asking if I was all right. I answered him shakily, not able to concentrate on anything else but his warm hands around me._

(_So, what's so different now?)_

The rational part of her mind chimed in with the others, asking unanswerable questions. There were just _so many, _and for a wild second, May wished that she hadn't kept them locked away for so long...

_No._

_Wait._

The thoughts halted, leaving a surprisingly _strong _feeling of _emptiness _as she momentarily gathered her senses again.

She couldn't afford to think through her feelings now. She _couldn't. _Not when there was a Grand Festival out there for her to win. She had barely even made it to the finals this morning! She didn't have _time_ to be distracted.

May thought back briefly to her first contest ever, the one she had ultimately lost, acknowledging the guilt and resolve still imprinted in that memory.

"_To think that my Beautifly worked so hard out there…all I did was mess everything up!"_

That was still true, to an extent. All those past failures - her fault. She wasn't working hard enough. Her pokemon were so loyal, giving her loyalty she didn't deserve. Not when she kept losing year after year.

_Priority comes first._

_(Again.)_

Deep inside her subconscious, May's mind questioned the sudden pessimism. She was usually an optimistic person. What had changed? She should be happy, of all things. She had miraculously _made it_ to the _finals_. She should just focus on that and be happy. It was more than enough.

But she couldn't. Not when there were more pressing emotions raging inside her head.

May rocked back on her knees, relieving the blood flow there when she realized she had been kneeling too long. What time was it anyway? Not that it really mattered at this point...

A quiet sigh escaped her lips, following the pattern of her heartbeat.

_(it may be love...but...)_

She wasn't ready to admit it yet. Not to herself, and certainly not to _him._

Not quite yet.

_Festival, festival, festival..._

She had to remember what was important here. What was _priority._

A giggle made its way out of her throat, not quite amused, but almost. Only a few days ago, the Festival was all that she could think about, all that was important to her. Nothing could distract her from it, she had told herself.

But now?

She wasn't so sure anymore.

_(after the Festival then. When it's all over. Then...maybe...I'll...)_

_(maybe...)_

There was a sudden rustling sound from behind her seated position, startling her. May huffed, leaving the thought unfinished, quietly turning her head to see.

Ash had shifted in his sleeping bag, his breathing had quickened slightly. A soft sigh made its way through his lips, and then he started to mumble.

May almost smiled. Ash was a sleep-talker when he had things on his mind. She sat still, listening to his dream induced speech.

"Pikachu…go…thunder…champion…"

The smile widened as May shook her head. Oh Ash. Never losing sight of his goal.

"...gym...battle…Misty…"

May froze when she heard him say the Cerulean Gym leader's name.

_Misty?_

Why did Ash just say that? Was he dreaming about her?

…_Ash was dreaming about Misty?_

Why?

Now that she thought about it though, it made sense. Misty was important to Ash - she had been one of his first travel partners, along with Brock, going through Kanto, the Orange Islands, and Johto. It would makes sense if he was dreaming about her, surrounded by the nostalgia this place must hold for him after all. Ash had been in Johto before. With Misty.

There was nothing _wrong _with that.

May bit her lip, short-lived tenacity wavering. She suddenly realized that Ash _did _mention Misty a lot. She could remember that, when the water-pokemon trainer had visited them during their travels in Hoenn, Ash had been so excited, so happy to see her. And yes, she had seen him carrying around Misty's special lure everywhere he went. Yes, they had known each other first. It was true that they had traveled together the longest, and they're personalities fit...interestingly, if anything.

_He..._

_...loves her?_

It was very possible. What did _she _have after all, when compared to Misty? she thought bitterly. For another second, May felt a dizzying rush of jealousy toward her friend. She pushed it back down, fiercely ashamed.

Ash shifted in his sleep and began to speak again after a moment of silence.

"...Sinnoh…Championships…soon…Festival…Dawn…"

May's hands twisted uncomfortably around the silky material of her pajamas.

_Dawn and Ash?_

That was just as possible as Ash and Misty. They were traveling together now after all. How many times had Ash told her about the tag battles he had with Dawn, and the pokemon they had traded with each other, and all their other accomplishments. He cheered for in every contest _(even in the Wallace Cup...!)_ and was always saying how proud he was of her.

May gritted her teeth. This was the price of love. Stupid, _stupid _love. Bitter jealousy. What, did she think that, just because _she _had just reached her epiphany _(about him) _that he would immediately feel the same?

Strange that he was dreaming about _both _of them, at the same time anyway, she thought with an irrational, jealousy-ridden laugh.

_May! Get a grip!_

_But…I…_

…_can't…_

She turned away from him, looking back toward the glass, seeing the blurry replica of her face there. One raindrop caught onto the pane, sliding down, pausing once at the reflection of her blue eyes, and then trailing down her cheeks before dropping into silence.

Mocking her.

She couldn't bear to hear anymore. Her eyes dewed up, _stupid, goddamn tears! _and she wiped her eyelashes impatiently, frustrated and confused and ashamed at herself for feeling jealous and being so lost in her own emotions.

_I may love him. But that doesn't mean he loves me back._

_(That's what love was famous for after all. Unrequited. Forgotten. Never returned.)_

May frowned.

_(I have yet to give my heart, but I fear it may be lost...)_

In the reflection of the entryway, her glass twin did the same.

_(it...hurts...)_

She finally stood up and, without pause, flung open the French doors of the balcony, ridding herself of her reflected twin. Stretching out her arms, she then walked straight out into the rain, closing the doors tightly behind her.

_(Ash...)_

Obliviously, the black haired boy turned once more in his sleeping bag, parted lips sighing their final, dream-induced words.

"...ribbon...Grand...Festival..."

"..._May..."_

* * *

**So, how was it? We get to see May's deeply hidden inner feelings this time. She comes to her...epiphany ****about her feelings sooner than Ash ;) Ah, women's intuition. Plus Ash is incredibly dense. Oh well, we love him anyway ;)**

**If you're wondering what episodes her memories were from - she was first referencing to Oscar and Andi with the 'perfect tag team'...the episode **_**Love at First Flight **_**with the Volbeat and the Illumise...and then the actual vignettes:**

**1. Date Expectations**

**2. Bicker the Better**

**3. Also Bicker the Better**

**4. All Torkoal, No Play**

**5. Abandoned Ship**

**6. Also Date Expectations.**

**Just put that list in there if any of you wanted to check out the advanceshippy scenes again ;)**

**Constructive criticism is **_**always**_** welcome! Flames though, are not: my dear Lanturn will just put them out with her Hydro Pump if I see any :p**

**Thanks again for reading! **

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello everyone! Finally, chapter 7 is up!**

**So, we have finally reached...I believe...the _longest_ chapter in this fanfic. I was going to make it longer, but decided that would be too much on my poor fingers...haha and I thought that you guys definitely deserved an update to this fanfic after so long. I thank you all again so much for your patience - I hope I can make it up to you :)**

**Edit: one tiny thing to fix about the last chapter - I said there are 10 finalists left in the Festival. I meant 16. Sorry for the confusion! :)**

**Anyway, one more thing before you go off and with your reading (forgive me, I'm almost there)...this chapter is going to be full of action - most of it being the descriptions of the contest battles taking place in each round. I'm doing this in an attempt to get as close to a real pokemon episode as I can. So sorry if you aren't a fan of action - I hope you enjoy the chapter nevertheless :)**

**Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own pokemon.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

_"Are you all right May?"_

_(...no...I...)_

_"Do you want to come back inside and watch it with me?"_

_(...with...with you...)_

_"This has been your dream!"_

_( is it?)_

_"...it could be your last chance, right?"_

_(yes, but-)_

_"...then you really ought to go for it!"_

_(...I...)_

_"I'm coming May!"_

* * *

"Nyaaa?"

May's eyelids flickered, still shut. How odd. She had been listening to Ash's voice only a second ago. She turned onto her side, clutching at the soft bedsheets, searching again for delicious exhaustion.

"Nyaa! Nyaa!"

The brown haired girl groaned at the sound, finally feeling consciousness seeping unrelentingly through her veins. She opened her eyes slowly, watching bits of sun gather on her tired lashes like dewdrops, until she noticed a pink kitten pokemon staring back at her, smiling.

"Skitty?" May asked, a little disoriented, her voice soft with sleep.

The kitten pokemon smiled wider and nuzzled her cheek.

_"Time to wake up!"_

"Oh!" May sat up quickly, shielding her eyes as the bright light of morning pooled in through the windows. The air smelled sweet and damp, cleansed by the night rain.

_Last night..._

"Mmm, thanks Skitty," she said quietly, rubbing the last bit of fatigue from her lids and petting her playful friend. Skitty grinned and curled up onto its trainer's chest.

Casting a glance toward the other side of the room, May's eyes suddenly turned accusing. "Wait, now, what exactly are you doing out of your pokeball?" she asked, picking up the pink kitten to her chest in gentle, weightless reprimand.

Skitty looked up innocently and nodded toward the pokeballs May had left on the table overnight. Skitty's had rolled onto the floor, half-opened and empty.

May sighed and stroked the kitten pokemon's fur. "You must be really excited, huh?" she teased, knowing that Skitty still had the tendency to jump out of its pokeball every once in a while when it was bored. Skitty mewed softly, unrepentant.

The brown haired coordinator hummed lightly, releasing the pink kitten and stretching out her stiff arms. The room was otherwise curiously empty.

"I wonder where the others went..." she mused half to herself, acknowledging her friends' vacant sleeping bags with a strange pang in her heart.

At that, Skitty bounded from the bed and toward the windows, pointing down toward the courtyard.

"Nyyaa, nya!"

May smiled, not even needing to look. Of course. Knowing Ash, he had probably led everyone outside to train, wanting to squeeze in as much as he could in the pockets of spare time they had between events.

The thought of his name brought an instantaneous smile to the young coordinator's face, which quickly crumpled as she remembered the emotional turmoil that had fallen upon her with the night's rain, the startling revelation that had been quickly crushed by Ash's subconscious words.

_I..._

_(love him)_

_...can't..._

She took a shuddering breath, reminding herself of her _priority._

_Stop thinking about him!_

Her resolve was a bit stronger under the pretense that had come with sleep. Faded in the morning glow, the feelings felt less potent, dimmer, overshadowed by the more imminent nervousness that May knew would come with the day's competitions.

And for that, she was somewhat grateful. Though May hated the anxiety that never failed to overtake her nerves during a contest, she was at least _familiar_ with it.

Her emotions however, about a certain person over a certain feeling...she was not.

_(I...don't know what to feel anymore...)_

She was afraid, having ventured into parts of her mind and _heart_ she had never dared to go through before during the prolonged moments of solitude and silence last night.

Then again, she thought to herself in a strange paradox of both solace and _remorse_, perhaps her mind had overcompensated, drowning as it had been in the long-suppressed thoughts and revelations she had hidden from herself - perhaps that had caused her mind to form conclusions so fast that they _could have_ been _wrong_.

_(Maybe...it's not...love...)_

May had to bite her tongue to physically stop a groan of chagrin from leaking through.

_(but it could be)_

Averting her eyes from the window, she glanced back at the bed, where Skitty was now calmly licking its paws, and then to the coffee table holding the rest of her pokeballs.

_Festival, festival, festival-_

_(Priority)_

A jolt of nervousness, almost like a shot of caffeine, briefly chased away the frustration of her emotions, as if reminding her of its presence.

And, once again, in the unnerving union of shameful, _shameful_ reprieve, May accepted the anxiety, because it kept her _focused_.

She pushed herself off the covers then, unwilling to break that fragile barrier of _nervousness_ keeping her _focused_, and quickly strode to the bathroom to dress, splashing cold water on her face to wake herself up. Avoiding the burning gaze once again waiting for her in the mirror, she wondered idly why her friends hadn't bothered to wake her up...and more importantly, why they had started training without her. Shrugging it off, May laced up her sneakers, slipped on her gloves, and then walked back into the sunlit room.

Skitty was playing by the windows, swatting at the curtains that framed the outside scenery. The rain had long disappeared in favor of the white clouds now painted in the blue vastness. The expanse of Johto forest was tall and verdant, swaying in unison with the light breeze.

It almost reminded her of the tropical sights of home, May thought affectionately, recalling the lush forests of Hoenn that weaved between clear oceans and wide beaches. With the endless sky painted golden with a sunset, the color was unforgettable, golden like his eyes-

She stopped the thought immediately, face flushing.

God, love was _annoying_.

Well, whatever it was she was feeling anyway-

_Enough!_

May let her eyes follow the treetops once more, tracing the center point of the green fringe, where all the fields bordered a bright red, star-shaped Festival stage, almost taunting her in a way.

Today was the day. All depending on her performance, she would either look out toward the same scenery with a bright, accomplished smile, or look away with tears blurring her sight.

She wouldn't let herself think about that. Not now. Not when she was giving up _so much_ just to be here.

_My dream_, she reminded herself strictly._ Priority_.

Shaking her head firmly to herself, May then scooped up all the pokeballs from the table and put them into her pack. Skirting over to the bedside drawer, she picked up the ribbon necklace from where she had left it last night, fastening the clasp around her neck. Then, holding out Skitty's pokeball, she sat lightly on the bedspread and watched the pink kitten pokemon expectantly.

"Back into your pokeball now Skitty! I want you to have a good rest so that you can give me a hundred percent in today's rounds, ok?" she said gently, fondly.

The kitten pokemon cocked its head to one side, then nodded, jumping into its pokeball. As the red light disappeared, May cast the sphere one last affectionate look before putting it into her backpack along with the rest of her pokemon.

_(it's time)_

She walked out of the room, closing the door with a sense of finality.

* * *

Even though her stomach felt like it had a million Beautiflies in it, May stopped by the dining hall for something quick to eat. The last thing she needed was a hungry stomach to disrupt her focus. Selecting a small slice of iced coffee cake on her way outside, May drifted further into the courtyard, searching for her friends.

They were training in the space closest to the forest, standing in a loose circle. Ash and Dawn were in a mini battle with Brock watching as referee. None of them seemed to notice as she walked toward them, so May sat back on one of the small umbrella-shaded tables, nibbling at her breakfast as she watched.

Ash had pit his Torterra against Dawn's Buneary in a quick training session. It was a pretty fair battle; Torterra was more experienced but Buneary had the advantage with its Ice Beam attack. Both pokemon seemed to be worn out already, probably from previous training before May had arrived.

"Now Torterra! One last Energy Ball, let's go!"

"Buneary, quick, use Ice Beam!"

The grass pokemon compiled, hurtling a bright green orb at Buneary. In retaliation, the rabbit pokemon shot an ice blue beam out of its mouth. Both attacks collided in midair, sending both pokemon crashing to the ground.

"And that's it!" Brock announced, ending the session.

Ash and Dawn returned their pokemon, giving each other a smile and a quick high five. May felt her eyes widen, stopping in the middle of brushing the crumbs off her skirt.

The action the two shared brought back a sudden deluge of memories, a flood of unwanted emotions that rose in her pale skin - feelings in which she had tried so hard to suppress.

_(I may love him, but that doesn't mean he loves me back-)_

"Oh! Hi May! I didn't know you came down!"

May shook her head, startled. Dawn was waving at her, now carrying Piplup in her arms. The brown haired coordinator tried to assemble a smile, standing up and smoothing her expression before any of them could take notice.

"Hey you guys," she said, reminding herself to keep her voice animated and relaxed.

As hard as she tried, there was still something off in the aberrant curve of her smile - and Ash could tell. He frowned to himself, briefly waiting for Pikachu to leap onto his shoulders before he came to stand beside Dawn.

"...May? Are you doing all right? Is...something wrong?" he asked, searching the smooth planes of her face with irrational care. He could have sworn that he had seen _something_ else in those eyes...something that had tugged painfully at the now-peculiarly tightening sensation in his chest.

The brown haired girl found herself unable to meet his gaze. Apparently, she hadn't pulled together a calm façade fast enough.

_(Ash...)_

She swallowed hard before answering. "No, nothing is wrong, not at all!" _(Lies, lies...)_ "I'm just, um, nervous. It's the finals today after all!" she replied, cringing at just how overly cheerful her voice sounded.

Dawn and Brock nodded in understanding. Ash, however, didn't look entirely convinced. Perhaps if they had been alone together, he would have ventured further, pressed May for the..._anxieties?_ that he knew she was hiding.

But for now, he let it go.

May looked away from him completely, cursing her stupid heart for being sewn to her sleeve.

"So, anyway, why didn't you guys wake me up this morning?" she quickly asked, though she _was_ honestly curious. "I mean, I could have trained with you guys if you wanted..."

She trailed off, having effectively shifted the attention away from her emotions.

Dawn shook her head. "Nah, Ash wouldn't let us. He said that you deserved some well earned sleep, so we left to give you some peace," she said with a smile, shooting the black haired boy a sideways glance.

Ash returned it with a sharp look. May wanted to hate the warmth that spread _so quickly_ through her body at this knowledge, but how could she when it felt _so wonderful-?_

"Oh, thank you Ash, but really, I'm fine," she claimed, touched by his concern nevertheless.

Ash shrugged, giving his perfectly lukewarm answer. "You needed rest; you have a big day ahead of you."

May nodded in agreement, though her expression seemed to fall the tiniest bit before she caught up with his words.

"Right, the finals, I should really start practicing, shouldn't I?"

Wordlessly, Brock, Dawn and Ash all shared a look before they each extracted a pokeball from their pockets. May almost laughed at the motion. Instead, she smiled knowingly, reaching into her backpack for her own.

"Okay, let's get this started!"

* * *

"Attention coordinators and spectators; the Grand Festival will start again very soon. Please return to your designated places, thank you."

The voice in the speaker above was impossible to miss, even through the excited babble of all the coordinators and their well-wishers. May's hands squeezed into tight fists. The nervousness was back in full force, without having lost any of its potency.

(and to think that she had _welcomed_ the feeling earlier this morning-)

"Well May, I guess this is it. Just remember we'll be cheering for you every step of the way," Brock said encouragingly as he gazed across the room full of now-anxious coordinators.

Dawn gave May a high-five. "No need to worry! You'll do just fine, I know it!"

May nodded, taking a deep breath to calm her frayed nerves. Her hands quivered, stubbornly refused to be pacified.

It pained him to see her hands shaking like that, alone and empty. To distract her, Ash quickly found his voice to ask, "So, May, uhm, do you know who you're going to be up against this year? For the final rounds and all?"

A frantic light sparked feebly in her blue eyes as she glanced at him.

"Oh, I think I'm against Harley first," she said, remembering the lineups that had been posted earlier in the day. As soon as the words left her mouth, May's expression went curiously droll, the news really sinking in for the first time.

"Huh, would you believe it? Harley, again! This has been the third time in three years!"

She laughed, but the sound was too high-pitched, too unsettling to sedate Ash's concern.

_(uninvited, irrational, genuine concern-)_

He bit his lip, remembering another laugh - her _real_ laugh, the one that sounded like soft silver bells and wind chimes. At the thought, Ash was suddenly taken by the fervent wish to _be_ the cause of that laughter, suddenly _desperate_ to chase away the nervousness written all over May's features...because that smile, that damn _beautiful_ smile-

"May...listen...I..."

She turned to look at him, eyes wide with half concealed tension and fear and _trust_-

Their gazes locked, golden sun piercing into cloudless sky. Ash felt the words catch in his throat, frozen by her eyes, so full of unspoken words, and so, so _blue-_

"This is the last call for any coordinators. Please prepare to arrange yourselves in your lineup - the final round will begin shortly. Thank you."

Brock smiled tiredly, glancing toward the door. "Guess that's our cue to leave," he said, unfolding his arms. Dawn nodded in agreement, chirruping another quick "good luck!" as she stood up, moving to avoid the slight crowd now leaving the common room.

With an implicit, almost willful reluctance, May removed her eyes from Ash's.

Instead, her gaze found refuge back with her two other friends, _placid, common ground_ - and her smile quickly became familiarly quiet and composed and oh so _wrong_.

"Thank you...goodness, just look at me, falling apart - I don't know what I would do without you guys here," she said, the words at least true to that extent, the honesty able to balance out the rest of her expression.

Her gaze flickering away, she then nodded toward the exit with a small smirk.

"Now you better get to your seats before someone takes them! I'll wave when I get out there with Harley," she said with a wink.

Ash wondered why the others couldn't see that the gesture was so incredibly _faked_.

...And more importantly, why that fact suddenly _bothered_ him so much.

_Why?_

_What changed?_

But he couldn't ask, not even if he had the nerve to, because Brock and Dawn were already leaving, pulling him away, and May's attention had long drifted elsewhere, toward the screen in the front of the room, _the Festival-_

_(...priority-)_

And so he found himself turning away as well, leaving the room, quietly haunted by the knowledge that he hadn't been fast enough to understand what the hidden words in May's eyes had been trying to say.

_(those words could have helped, or just confused him even more-)_

_"Good luck May. Promise me you will never lose hope. If not for anyone else but me, please never lose hope-"_

_(...)_

May only looked up after she was sure he had left, a gentle frown etched softly in her skin, wondering why he, out of all three of them, hadn't said anything to her at all.

* * *

"...and we have only thirty seconds left on the clock! What a great battle we are seeing coming to an end here..."

Above the hum of the other coordinators in the room, Lillian's voice continued its record of each passing battle, light and chipper and completely blocked out by May's ears.

She hadn't left her seat on the bench, still watching her hands, glad that at least the shaking had stopped.

What a strange feeling it was to be alone. Not that she was in the literal sense, but May felt like she had just entered a maze. You couldn't come back out until you finished. Not until the Festival was over and the battles had been won...or lost...

She stared blankly toward the screen, just seeing shapes and colors rather than the actual coordinators with their pokemon. Where had her resolve gone? Hadn't it been there just a few seconds ago?

May shook her head, feeling the uncomfortable thrill of nervousness in her chest again. She turned around, seeing that all the other coordinators had the same expression on their faces, despite the differences in their features.

Worry. Excitement. Anxiety.

Worrying did nothing to help though. May closed her eyes, fingers moving to idly trace the shape of her ribbon necklace. Her mind wandered into random places, perhaps trying to keep her from thinking about the upcoming battle. She didn't fight it, only let the various, scattered memories fill her head.

_(time was slowly dripping away, crooning against the shell of her ear, taunting, promising, lying-)_

"All right! Would the next battlers, May and Harley, now report to the stage please? Thank you very much...!"

May's head snapped up, her thoughts draining away sharply in surprise. It was her turn already? How had time moved so quickly? Where was it all going?

_(where am I losing the seconds, the minutes-?)_

There was sudden movement beside her, a quick, light passing that suggest a person flouncing over on their toes. That same someone then waltzed in front of May's face, clapping his hand on her back.

"Well May! Looks like we're up! I'm so excited for this, you have no idea!" Harley exclaimed, purple hair and signature green outfit just beaming in all their glory. Happy to have claimed the brown haired coordinator's full attention, the Cacturne-lover danced around gleefully, excessively confident and overly enthusiastic.

May felt her vision clear slightly, almost _glad_ for his distraction. Able to find herself again through her natural tendency to bristle against _such_ an assumptive indication, she sent Harley a hard smile.

"Oh no you don't mister. I'm not losing to you this year!" she said defiantly, sticking out her tongue in a playful, teasing gesture.

Harley's eyes narrowed, and he immediately stopped his ridiculous pirouette.

"Cheeky, aren't we sweetheart? Well, we'll just _see_ who wins this year princess!"

Grin once again stretched over his face, Harley darted out of the room, still with a spring in his step, his susurrations maliciously giddy.

And May, in spite of herself, stood up quickly to rush after him, the nervousness momentarily overthrown by her excitement.

* * *

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our next coordinators! On the right side, we have Harley from Slateport City, and on the left we have May, from Petalburg City!"

There was unanimous cheer from the audience as the two rivals walked up to the stage. Harley's smile melted as he glared at May from across the platform, finally dropping his silly act. May gave a wry smile back, taking a few deep breaths to steady herself.

_I will be top coordinator._

_(priority, priority-)_

Lillian Meridian raised her hands to quiet the excited crowd. "Okay, now, if both our coordinators are ready, the countdown for five minutes will be set..."

The panel about the judges immediately beeped, clearing of any previous information and displaying the usual red timer, complete with May and Harley's pictures with their point bars directly below.

_(time smiled, watching her, and she could feel-)_

Lillian gave a flourish with her dainty hands, and the entire crowd seemed to look up toward the timer, stilled at 5:00.

"All right! Let this match: BEGIN!"

4:59.

_(and now, it starts.)_

Almost immediately, Harley straightened to his full height, whipping out the two pokeballs he had hidden in his hands.

"Glad to begin!" he exclaimed with a delighted smile, tossing the spheres into the air.

"Now, come on out my darling Ariados and Cacturne! It's finally show time!"

May could automatically feel the energizing effects of adrenaline rushing through her veins as she swiftly followed his lead.

"All right then Glaceon and Wartortle! It's time to take the stage!"

The four pokemon appeared simultaneously onto the platform. There was a brief second of silence as the two teams faced each other, filling the air with tense electricity.

"Oh my goodness, this is so exciting!" Dawn stage-whispered to Brock, feeling the tightly bound static that encircled the stadium. "May's going to have no trouble beating that Cacturne and Ariados with those Ice attacks!"

Brock was shaking his head before she finished, his mouth a thin line. "I don't doubt May of course, but Harley's gotten stronger. It won't be easy. This is going to be close. I can feel it."

Ash wasn't paying attention to them - he was watching May closely. Her face was smooth and composed, frozen into a statue of determination just like it had been in the common room. But, knowing her as well as he did, he saw a nervousness boiling just underneath the surface of her calm mask.

His hands clenched into fists, remembering those blue eyes, blue like the boundless summer sky-

_(You can do it May! I know you can-!)_

Down below on stage, the silence went on for another half-second, so short, yet never-ending at the same time. Finally, as if having read something in the atmosphere, a sudden, brief smile flickered across May's face as she ultimately shattered the silence.

"All right let's get this started! Glaceon, use Ice Shard on Cacturne! And Wartortle, Water Gun on Ariados!"

The young coordinator's pokemon obeyed immediately, hurtling the contest battle into action. Wartortle pitched forward on its feet and shot a quick, powerful stream of water from its mouth at Ariados, while Glaceon leapt onto the tips of its paws to fire sharp icicles at Cacturne.

Harley was quick to retaliate, falling into the steady rhythm that the battle had already accumulated.

"Ariados, use Spider Web to dodge! And Cacturne, Poison Sting!"

At once, the bug pokemon turned around and shot a glistening web at the wall, effectively skittering away from Wartortle's Water Gun. The strings however, got soggy under the Water attack, collapsing under Ariados's weight and sending it falling back to the ground. Unperturbed, Cacturne leapt over its fallen companion to shoot bright purple barbs at Glaceon's Ice Shard. The two attacks collided in the center of the stage, creating a small explosion that forced both pokemon backwards.

"...And it looks like we're really getting started now!" Lillian said during a lull in the attacks, monitoring the battle. Above on the screen, both Harley and May lost a few points.

The brown haired coordinator's eyes narrowed.

"No problem - quick Wartortle, use Bubblebeam! And Glaceon, combine with your Shadow Ball!"

This was a familar combination attack, safe and sufficient. Curving around its partner, the ice pokemon skidded forward on the balls of its soft feet to toss a pulsing dark ball of energy into the air. Wartortle then jumped up to shoot a volley of high powered bubbles at the purple orb, causing it to rush forward at an alarming speed.

Harley's pokemon had no time to react. They tried to jump out of the way, but they were knocked aside by the double attack. Harley's points immediately lowered.

May felt her smile widen in the brief moment of success, synchronizing with the pitches hidden in the fray as if it were music.

"Great job you two! Now Wartortle, hide in your shell! Glaceon, hit Wartortle with your Iron Tail!"

"_Stttya_!" Glaceon hissed as it instantly leapt forward, slamming its glowing tail at Wartortle's now-protected shell. The turtle pokemon rose high into the air from impact, a black shape against the bright sunlight, suspended in the melee.

"Aqua Tail!" May cried out.

With an almost smug smile on its face, the water starter peeked out of its shell at that moment, its tail glowing blue and swirling around in small circles. Jets of water shot out in every direction, hitting Harley's pokemon like continuous waves.

"Wow, what amazing power!" Lillian announced, watching the glittering attack with fascination. "Such a beautiful yet powerful move!" As she spoke, Harley's points dropped even lower.

The Cacturne-loving coordinator's face creased with anger.

"Oh yeah? I'll show you power! My dear Cacturne, use your Faint Attack! And Ariados, see how they like your Double Edge!"

Still trying to shield itself from Wartortle's Aqua Tail, Cacturne stood up and began to hover, racing across the water-soaked stage. It creeped up from behind both of May's pokemon with experienced stealth, slamming into an un-expecting Glaceon and eliciting a painful cry from the ice pokemon as it fell. Then, following its cactus-like counterpart, Ariados found its opportunity to jump up, knocking Wartortle off balance with Double Edge as it was distracted. Both pokemon crashed to the ground upon impact, Ariados wincing a little from recoil.

"No! Wartortle, Glaceon, are you two ok?" May's pokemon stood up again and nodded. The young coordinator's eyes were tight as she watched her points suffer a huge drop.

Harley danced on the spot, jubilant that the battle had bent in his favor.

"Simply wonderful my dears! How did you like that princess? Now, hurry Ariados, use Shadow Ball! And Cacturne, use Bullet Seed!"

A purple ball of dark energy rushed forward from the bug pokemon's mouth immediately, accompanied by a stream of glowing seeds from Cacturne. Struggling to regain their bearings, both Wartortle and Glaceon stared at the incoming attacks in alarm.

May bit her tongue to keep from squeaking in distress.

"No! Wartortle, quick, use Withdraw to dodge! And Glaceon, counter with Mirror Coat!"

"_Wartortle_!" the turtle pokemon cried, immediately hiding itself behind its hard shell. Cacturne turned sharply and shot more glowing yellow seeds at it, but only to have the attack bounce harmlessly off the protective shield. From behind the hard shape, Glaceon then leapt up and ran towards Ariados's Shadow Ball, glowing in a shimmering mosaic of colors. The dark orb hit the ice pokemon straight on, pushing Glaceon back a few steps. Not ready to give up though, the fresh snow pokemon hissed, shoving against the Shadow ball and swatting it back toward Ariados, who only barely dodged with a quick String Shot.

"...and some marvelous quick thinking from both coordinators as they make narrow but successful saves! Great job!" Lillian announced to the mesmerized audience. Both May and Harley lost a few more points simultaneously.

Knowing she was pressed for time, May's eyes flashed to the clock. Less than three minutes left. Her points were just a bit less than Harley's. Her safest bet would be to go for a knockout to bring this battle to a swift end.

With determination bringing color to her cheeks, she turned back to her pokemon, commanding, "We can do this guys! Glaceon, use your Secret Power! And Wartortle, use Rapid Spin, now!"

A little wearily, both pokemon rose into action again, but in full assurance. Glaceon's body started to shimmer with a pink glow as it ran forward toward Cacturne, skirting across the ground on its cold paws. Staying behind, Wartortle did not extract itself out of its shell; it only began to spin around in rapid circles, tracing the outline of the battlefield before racing toward Ariados.

Harley laughed mockingly at the display. "Oh, nice try May! Ariados, put a stop to that spinning turtle with a String Shot! And Cacturne, do a full-powered Needle Arm to counter Glaceon's Secret Power!"

The spider pokemon bolted forward at the words, shooting white strings from its mouth toward Wartortle. The sticky strands caught fast onto the water starter's moving shell, holding it in place and making Wartortle immobile. At the same moment, Cacturne had risen to its feet and glided toward the running Glaceon, its glowing arms extended. There was a head on head collision between the two pokemon, Cacturne falling back on its knees, now glowing pink, and Glaceon crashing to the ground with a hiss of pain.

May saw her chance, easily fighting against the panic that waited in the dark waters of her negative thoughts.

"Hang in there Glaceon! You can do it! Use Iron Tail now on Cacturne while it's still paralyzed!"

The fresh snow pokemon wrenched itself back up in a sinuous motion, its tail glowing brightly as it twisted toward Cacturne's form. Without any more hesitation, it capered into the air, slamming down on the scarecrow pokemon, knocking it over again before it had the chance to get up.

With a brief, victorious exclamation, May's eyes averted back to Wartortle. It was still spinning rapidly, caught up in Ariados's strings and unable to break free. There was no way it could get out, and coming out of the shell would only get it further stuck-

Her memory flashed back to Wartortle's Aqua Tail, remembering the spinning movement of the turtle pokemon, and the water, spouting in all directions-

May suddenly found her inspiration.

"Quick! Wartortle! Use Water Gun while still in Rapid Spin!"

Without once pausing, the turtle pokemon immediately obeyed, whirling even faster, but now releasing a spinning vortex of water from within its shell. From such close proximity, the waves crashed into Ariados first, washing it backwards and flooding the stage with water.

The bug pokemon screeched as it was pushed away by the crests of surging liquid, colliding into Cacturne and sweeping them both away. Not surprisingly, Harley's temper flared at once when his points dropped lower still in succession.

"No! Don't celebrate yet May! You're still going to lose!" he shouted at her from across the stage, visibly fuming. "Quick Cacturne and Ariados! Combination attack!"

_What?_

Struggling to get back up, Cacturne shot May's pokemon a dark, sinister look before firing a combination of Poison Sting and Bullet Seed out of its mouth. Ariados darted past the beam and launched a quick Spider Web to sling itself forward, unexpectedly releasing its Scary Face attack.

Both Glaceon and Wartortle had not been anticipating such a different form of assault, and became frozen still with fear. Unable to react, Cacturne's combination attack had no chance of missing, hitting them both with painful accuracy. As both pokemon fell backwards from impact, Ariados snickered, swerving around and shooting two Shadow Balls at its fallen opponents - a direct hit.

There was a small explosion as May's pokemon were thrown across the platform, collapsing in a too-still heap for one long second. In the stands, Dawn, Brock and Ash held their breath anxiously.

"N-no! Glaceon! Wartortle! No, please get up!" May cried, her eyes immediately turning to the billboard. Time was running out, and _quick_.

With obvious difficulty, her pokemon sat back up at its trainer's pleas. Unable to do much except find another method of quick retaliation, May frantically searched around her, looking for some sort of strategy. Her blue eyes flew past the ravaged terrain twice before finally resting on the wet ground of the stage, covered in puddles from Wartortle's Water Gun.

_Puddles..._

_Water...and...ice-!_

_That's it!_

"Don't give up yet you guys!" she commanded, hoping her strategy would work. "Now, Wartortle, Rapid Spin! Glaceon, jump on top of Wartortle!"

Tired as they were, the two pokemon jumped back up, unwilling to back down. Wartortle retreated into its shell once more and began to spin, pausing only to allow Glaceon's feet to nimbly pounce on top of its rotating shell. Upon contact, the two pokemon then sailed across the wet platform, headed towards Harley's team.

May crossed her fingers.

"Okay, now, quick! Double Ice Beam!" she shouted.

At once, the two pokemon broke apart from their formation, leaping into the air, almost radiating _relief_, and, with a practically simultaneous movement, they both released their powerful, glowing beams of ice toward the ground.

On impact with the wet stage floor, the blue beams made splintering sounds against the ground, racing past the puddles and freezing every bit of water they touched. With the liquid acting like a wire and the ice energy as powerful electricity, the double beams then met in a bright flash, attacking both Ariados and Cacturne straight on, freezing them to the ground.

The light cleared then, breaking apart, revealing the two pokemon in their wake, now encased in a combined block of ice.

"Okay, time to finish up!" May said, pointing toward Harley, who was yelling frantically at his pokemon to break free from the ice. "Glaceon, use Iron Tail! And Wartortle, use Tackle!"

Sparing only one glance at its partner, the two pokemon raced forward together on a combined footing, crashing into the block of ice at the same time, creating a loud, shattering noise as Cacturne and Ariados were freed from their imprisonment. Both pokemon fell to the ground then, unable to get up, surrounded by the glass shards of their icy jail.

"No!" Harley cried, waving his arms, his expression almost deranged. "Get up you guys! Get up!"

There was no movement from the two pokemon - none at all - only the sound of groaning that made Harley's eyes widen in a fearful recognition-

_BEEEP!_

The sound of the judges' red 'X's' piercing the silence was unmistakable.

"...And it looks like Harley's pokemon are out!" Lillian cried, stopping the timer. "Which means that our winner…"

She paused for dramatic effect, and the entire crowd leaned forward excitedly.

"…is May! She will be going on to round two! Congratulations!"

The audience exploded into cheers. Harley, still in disbelief, looked up at his point-less meter on the billboard, his eyes going from skepticism to anger to contravention in a second.

"What? _WHAT_?" he exclaimed, grasping his purple hair in his hands. "She beat me again? _WHAT_?"

A string of profanities glanced off his tongue, but his mutterings were drowned out by the roaring crowd.

May couldn't even bring herself to acknowledge Harley at the moment though. Eyes locked on her dear, _dear_ pokemon, she rushed forward, swiftly gathering them in her arms and squeezing them both tight.

"I can't believe it! We did it guys! We did it! You were simply wonderful!" she exclaimed happily to her pokemon, jumping up and down with them. "After everything, you two held through so well! I'm so, _so_ proud of you!"

Wartortle and Glaceon cheered, dancing in their excitement despite their weariness from the battle, jumping forward to cuddle their trainer.

In the stands, Dawn, Ash and Brock had risen to their feet, still clapping loudly, each with the same smile of relief on their faces.

"Wow, that was such an intense battle! I just knew May was going to win!" Dawn said, waving down to her friend, trying to get her attention.

Brock's face was relaxed and obviously delighted. "I've got to say, that last move was very smart of her. Using the battlefield to her advantage and freezing both of Harley's pokemon at the same time...she's come a long way since Hoenn, hasn't she Ash?" he asked with a wink, turning to his long-time friend.

"Yeah, she certainly has," Ash answered slowly, unable to tear his gaze away from May. Another warm swell of pride overtook him. _That's my girl._

Below on stage, May had reluctantly returned her cheering pokemon to their balls, stopping only to send Harley a hopeful smile of reconciliation. She didn't think she could deal with him holding _another_ grudge against her like before, not that the previous one had ever completely faded.

Harley's frustration seemed to have lessened a bit though. He returned his tired pokemon to their pokeballs as well, and then sent May a hard smile before stalking off.

Sighing, May followed after him, also departing the stage, looking back only once to wave to her friends.

If only she had looked hard enough, she would have seen Ash staring at her with the strangest expression on his face; one that she subconsciously wanted to see more than anything else in the world.

* * *

"…though I guess this year, the coordinators are a little stronger, but everything is still pretty simple for me so far," Drew said offhandedly to May. They were sitting in the common room, tending to their pokemon and waiting for their turn in round two.

"Yes, because no one is as amazing as the all powerful Drew," May retorted easily, handing Munchlax a pink pokeblock and planting a quick kiss on its teal colored fur. Behind it, Skitty jumped up playfully, scrambling on its friend's back to snatch the small treat.

The green haired coordinator flashed an arrogant smile. "Yeah, that would sound about right," he agreed.

May rolled her eyes. He was still rambling about his round one victory against one of the older coordinators. She was about to make another sarcastic remark when she saw Brock, Dawn, and Ash walk into the room.

She immediately sat up straighter, lifting the hand holding her pokeblock case and waving to them.

"Oh hey you guys! What are you doing here? I thought you would be watching the festival!" she inquired, though her voice was evidently delighted.

Brock shrugged. "It was getting kind of hot up in the bleachers, so we decided to visit you quickly. Good job in that last battle by the way; you definitely used many smart tactics to defeat Harley."

The brown haired coordinator beamed. "My pokemon and I thank you for your praise," she said, curtsying playfully.

Dawn laughed, sitting down next to her friend on the bench. At the arrival of a new person, Skitty padded over with curiosity, pawing at Dawn's boots.

The blue-haired coordinator squealed, picking up the small kitten pokemon and patting it on the head.

"Aww, May, I'm totally in love with your Skitty! It's so cute! Are you using it in the next battle?"

May nodded with a fond smile, looping one arm around her Munchlax sitting next to her as well, hugging it warmly.

"Yeah, with Munchlax too - they're going to be my next tag battle team. I'm against this coordinator named David, I think."

Dawn winked, relinquishing her hold on Skitty as the kitten began to squirm. "Well, you'll have no problem with that."

May laughed at her blithe reply, not consenting but not disagreeing either.

"Oh, wait Dawn, have I properly introduced you to Drew yet...?"

The brown haired coordinator had turned slightly, wanting to correctly acquaint her Sinnoh friend with her long-time contest rival, but immediately saw that the green-haired coordinator wasn't paying attention to her. Confused, she followed his gaze toward what he was staring at-

...and saw with a start that it was _Ash_ he was staring at, who, in turn, was also staring at Drew, his gaze intent and a little sharp.

A bit alarmed to suddenly notice for the first time the almost _chilling_ atmosphere the two were cinched in, May cleared her throat.

"Um, guys, everything...okay…?"

_(she had never seen that expression on Ash's face before-)_

The two boys jumped up a little at the sound of her voice, then quickly became attentive at the exact same time.

"What was it you said May?" Drew asked her, at the same time that Ash said, "Sorry, what happened May?"

The two shared another reproachful look as their voices clashed.

This did not go unnoticed by May, who automatically focused the entirety of her sharp gaze on Drew. She completely avoided _Ash's_ eyes, unsettled, because she just _couldn't_ understand why his golden depths were suddenly so _pained_-

"Oh, I was just wondering if you had properly introduced yourself to my friend Dawn here, _Drew_," May picked up, pointedly glaring at the green haired coordinator.

Drew shrugged off her glower, ignoring as she seethed in response and extended one hand toward the blue haired girl, shaking politely as his other hand held up some pokeblock gel for his Masquerain.

"Nice to meet you Dawn," he said affably, but then turned to roll his eyes at May, "though, if you recall _May_, I already met her in the beginning of the Festival, with Solidad, remember?"

The brown haired coordinator just looked away, fighting down the urge to kick her rival's shin. However, with a cursory glance to Ash's now less severe expression, she let out a comforted sigh, glad that the icy traction between the two boys had dissolved somewhat.

She could still tell something was bothering him though. May cast Ash another glance, this time her blue eyes lingering on his face, noticing with discomfort that the black haired boy was studiously ignoring her.

Yes, Ash knew she was watching him. The knowledge only added to the previous redness in his cheeks from embarrassment at being caught in Drew's wordless confrontation, but more importantly, it brought an unexplainable flutter to Ash's chest, warm and confusing and _beautiful-_

Though, the...pleasant feeling wasn't able to completely wipe away the..._burning_ that had formed there during his silent face off with Drew.

_(May...and Drew…?)_

May finally found her tongue, gently speaking to the black haired boy, convening enough nerve to even reach out her fingertips to lightly skim his tense shoulder.

"Ash? Are...are you ok? You seem kind of …"

_Anxious, worried, confused..._

_(just like me...)_

At the sound of his name spoken through her voice, Ash jumped infinitesimally, his hard expression quickly melting away at her concerned tone.

"Oh, no, I'm fine May...ah...I guess all this excitement is just rubbing off on me; it's making me...jumpy," he said with a casual, forced laugh.

He was lying. She _knew_ he was lying. And he knew it too.

But, if she had suspected anything, May didn't let on. Instead, she made a pensive hum in the back of her throat, lapsing into a thoughtful silence.

Sometime during the quiescence of the moment, May's hand absently went to the ribbon around her neck, like always, _like it should_, and Ash didn't miss the sudden flicker of Drew's eyes as _he_ noticed it too.

_(he never realized how wonderful of a feeling calamitous satisfaction could be-)_

"Okay! The second round of battles has now begun! Would our first contestants, coordinators David and May, please report to the stage in a few minutes? Thank you."

The sound of Lillian's voice was able to break all of them out of their respective stupors. Drew immediately stood up at the announcement and winked at May, sending her a cynical smirk as he unanticipatedly strode off, as if to give May some time alone in her mild disbelief.

Well, she didn't want to give him the pleasure of that, but regrettably, it was true - May could feel that her face was outlined in moderate shock. It was her turn already? And she was_ first_? Just where was all that time _going_?

_(spilling away so fast, maybe it was warning her that she was going to run out-)_

Regardless, May found herself standing up, a bit flustered, returning her pokemon to their pokeballs and then turning to her friends.

"Okay, well, wish me luck guys!" she trilled, managing to rearrange her features to forage a weak smile. Brock immediately gave her a thumbs up in return, and Dawn grinned encouragingly at her friend.

"In that case, we should be going then; we don't want to miss this match!" the blue haired girl said, falling in with the crowd leaving the room. Brock followed her lead, his calming gaze enough to ease a little of May's sudden tension.

Ash blinked in surprise, but then he too stood up to follow them. Turning slightly to perhaps wish May a quick good luck before he left, the words caught in his throat as he noticed that May had lowered her head, now holding it in her hands, taking deep calming breaths.

Without even needing to think, Ash felt his eyes soften, and perhaps for the first time in a while, there was no doubt or hesitation or_ confusion_ in his movements as he walked right over to her, reaching out his gloved hand and holding it there.

_(May needed him now, and he was damn well going to help, no matter what his emotions said-)_

Feeling his presence, May cautiously lifted her head in surprise, immediately seeing Ash standing there. She glanced at his hand, then back to his consoling gaze, the confusion in her eyes slowly changing into understanding.

And so, she stood up as well, keeping her gaze held in his, and took his hand. Ash squeezed back upon the pressure of her delicate fingers curved gently, _safely_, in his own.

Because, to them, the gesture was not only of greeting and friendship, but it was also one of encouragement and hope - remembrance of the many things they had overcome, _together_-

_"Great battle May!"_

_"Thanks Ash, same to you!"_

_"Hey May? Good luck with the rest of your Johto contests..."_

_"Thanks! And Ash, lots of luck to you getting into the Sinnoh league!"_

_"Thank you...!"_

At that moment, someone loudly cleared his throat, instantly surprising the two from their shared memories. Drew had ambled over once again, standing on the other side of May, though there was a new, blond-haired coordinator at his side.

May immediately dropped Ash's hand, turning to the other two questionably. The black haired boy stood there, stunned for another half-second from the sudden fractured moment, then turned away silently to walk out, wanting to escape before he could hear any words that could possibly make him more confused with his dizzying emotions.

She didn't watch as he left, but she didn't need to. Her forehead creased the slightest bit, the feeling of Ash's hand on her own lingering like an echoing song-

_May! Focus!_

_(priority-!)_

"Oh, hi again Drew!" she said, looking between him and the other boy at his side. "I was just about to leave for the battle though, so if you would excuse me…"

The blond-haired coordinator next to Drew cut her off politely.

"Oh, that's why I'm here actually. I'm your next opponent. I was looking for you but then Drew here showed me who you were." Charmingly, he thrust his hand out to shake. "I digress, I should introduce myself first hm? My name's David, though all my friends call me Kite. You're May, right?"

Cordially, May returned the gesture, hoping her smile was warm.

"Yes, that's right, I'm May! I guess that the judges want us out there now, correct?"

Kite winked and pointed to the door. "Yup, sounds right. Let's get out there and give that audience a battle they'll never forget!"

Extracting two pokeballs from his pockets, Kite sent May another courteous smile before promptly walking out of the room.

Taking another deep breath, May clasped her green pack around her waist and turned to follow him.

"Hey May?"

_(Good luck with the rest of your Johto contests...)_

She turned and saw Drew giving her a slight smile.

_(not Ash)_

"Good luck out there. Kite is a very powerful trainer actually; he beat me in a contest a few months ago. Be careful, okay?" he said.

May threw him a half-hearted smile.

"Thanks for the information Drew. I'll do my best."

And then she hurried out before he could tell her anything else.

* * *

"Thank you for sticking around everyone! Round two of the contest battles will now begin!"

The crowd applauded excitedly at Lillian's announcement. Happily as always, she quickly spun on her heels to gesture toward the two coordinators behind her.

"Okay, so, for the first battle on the second round, we have David from Snowpoint City and May, from Petalburg City! Let's give them a round of applause!"

"You can do it May!" Ash yelled from his seat as Dawn and Brock cheered loudly next to him. Pikachu leapt up from his trainer's lap and waved two pom poms in the air. "Pika pika! Pi pika, pikachu!"

Even from where she was, May could hear their cheering. She smiled confidently at her opponent from across the stage.

_(with his support, I cannot lose-)_

The memory of Ash's hand held in her own brought a healthy, brave pink to her flushed skin. With both arms raised, May waited for the trumpeting signal of the starting timer, before throwing two pokeballs high into the air.

"All right, let's give them a show! Munchlax and Skitty, stage on!"

At once, the red-white spheres opened, revealing May's pokemon as they flew out of their pokeballs in a playful flash of white light. Across from his opponent's ready team, Kite permitted himself a brief grin and followed suit.

"Here we go Lucario and Cyndaquil! I choose you!"

Kite's two pokemon landed gracefully onto the platform, readying themselves for battle. At a snap of the blond haired coordinator's fingers, his Cyndaquil's back burst into flames, burning bright and tall. Standing next to its partner, the Lucario did the same, striking a battle stance, but then strangely pulled out a small pipe and balanced it in the corner of its mouth before deeming itself ready.

In the hindsight of her wise, contest-trained mind, May quickly took notice of this, though she did so with slight surprise. She had seen a Lucario before, when she and her friends had journeyed to the Tree of Beginning, but why did this one have a pipe? She didn't remember ever seeing another Lucario doing that.

She shrugged the questions off, trying to concentrate. Seeing the Lucario with the pipe suddenly reminded May of Ash's Sceptile, who always kept a twig balanced in its mouth. The thought brought along a wave of distant memories, and the ache that flared inside of her chest was suddenly so strong that it knocked her concentration off balance.

_(Ash calling out his Sceptile to save her when she was falling off of Team Rocket's robot…that last contest in Terracotta…)_

_Focus May!_

The brown haired coordinator shook her head firmly, wrenching her thoughts back to the battle in front of her.

Kite was already in motion, calmly regarding his pokemon.

"Ok you guys! Let's start this off, shall we? Lucario, use Metal Claw on Munchlax! And Cyndaquil, use Quick Attack on Skitty!"

The two pokemon obeyed instantly, the Lucario rushing forward with an extended glowing fist even before Kite had finished his command. Right on its tail, Cyndaquil maneuvered around its partner's legs, charging forward with incredible speed and agility.

Icy concentration jolted through May's veins as she was jerked back into reality.

"Hurry Skitty, aim Blizzard at Cyndaquil to counter that Quick Attack! And Munchlax, use Focus Punch against Lucario's Metal Claw!"

"Nyaaa!" Skitty yelled as it leapt up and spat a strong Blizzard attack at Cyndaquil. The fire mouse pokemon stopped running and ducked down, trying to push forward against the strong wind. For a second, the unrelenting icy gust seemed to win out, but the fire starter only tumbled backwards slightly before leaping right back on its feet, the Ice attack not doing much to the heated flames on its back. Spirit not dampened, Munchlax grinned widely before running forward from behind Skitty, holding out a glowing fist. It collided with Lucario and the impact threw both pokemon back against the floor.

"Doing all right guys?" May asked hastily as her pokemon stood back up. Skitty and Munchlax both cheered in determination, ready to continue.

"Pretty good May," Kite said from across the platform, diplomatically intrigued. "But I'm afraid something like that won't be enough to win this battle! Quick Cyndaquil, use Swift! And Lucario, use Dark Pulse!"

Unruffled from the last attack, Kite's pokemon burst forward again at equal speed. The aura pokemon held out its palms and shot a dark beam at May's pokemon, while Cyndaquil leapt onto its head and quickly released a volley of glowing stars.

May already had her attack ready, vaulting from the tip of her tongue.

"Munchlax, full powered Solarbeam now! And Skitty, jump onto Cyndaquil's Swift and use Tackle!"

Leaping away from the oncoming attacks, the big eater pokemon opened its wide mouth, the sunlight collecting in a small pool of sparkles before releasing itself in a powerful, bright beam of sunlight. It crashed into Lucario's Dark Pulse, light against dark, and created a small explosion in the middle of the stage. Skitty took this chance to burst out of the smoke, leaping agilely from star to star towards Cyndaquil, who was still shooting Swift from its mouth. Cavorting until it was right in front of its opponent, Skitty then rammed into the fire mouse pokemon, knocking it to the ground.

Kite grimaced as his points lowered, quickly retaliating. "Counter with Flamethrower Cyndaquil! And Lucario, use ExtremeSpeed!"

The fire mouse pokemon opened its mouth again and this time spat a torrent of flames, violently pushing Skitty into the air and sending it flying across the stage in a surge of smoke. At the same time, Lucario raced forward with impeccable speed and smashed into Munchlax, throwing it back across the platform. Both pokemon landed with a loud thud in front of May's feet, and Kite smiled, having effectively severed May's points to his level.

"No! Skitty, Munchlax! Are you ok?" the brown haired coordinator choked out desperately, voice layered with fear, running to her fallen pokemon. At her voice, Skitty opened its eyes and crawled up onto its paws slowly, covered in smoke, its face twisted in pain. At the same time, Munchlax pushed itself back onto its feet, breathing heavily from the force of the attack.

May didn't dare look at the scoreboard, her eyes hardening as she glared at her opponent's pokemon.

"Just a little longer you guys, I promise! Skitty, use Doubleslap now! And Munchlax, Solarbeam once more!"

Fatigue left behind, Skitty nodded, shaking the soot off its fur quickly and twirling its pink tail around in powerful circles. Munchlax followed its lead, reenergized solely from May's determination, opening its mouth and collecting in large quantities of sunlight, creating three separate glowing balls of light. At once, Skitty then leapt forward, hitting all three of the sunlight orbs with its powerfully charged tail.

Surprised, Kite's pokemon stared at the speeding orbs in alarm, trying to move out of the way. One of them hit its mark, crashing into Cyndaquil and throwing it across the stage into Lucario's chest, toppling over like broken dominoes. They both hit the ground at the same time, narrowly dodging the other two spheres of light.

At this display, Kite visibly stiffened from the other side of the stage, the blond haired coordinator's eyes narrowing at his fallen team.

"I admire your pokemon's stamina May," he said, trying to keep his tone calm. "But you're going to have to work harder than that, I assure you! Cyndaquil, use Flame Wheel! And Lucario, use Thunder, now!"

_Thunder?_

Kite's pokemon obeyed quickly, standing back up and trying to turn the battle around to their advantage. Cyndaquil gave a cry as it surrounded itself in a ball of flames, racing toward Skitty and Munchlax. From behind it, the steel pokemon then jumped up, its hands glowing yellow, shooting a powerful thunderbolt towards May.

Staring at the incoming bright bolt of electricity, setting her eyes aglow, May quickly crossed her fingers behind her back, crying out-

"Quick Munchlax, Focus Punch on the ground!"

At once, the big eater pokemon gave a powerful cry, plunging two glowing fists into the stage floor. The impact sent the platform crumbling beneath their feet, unearthing hard planks of wood and dirt flying into the air, effectively absorbing Lucario's electric attack.

May let out a sigh of relief, glad that the strategy had worked, but her eyes quickly stole toward Cyndaquil, who had easily maneuvered around the fault lines of the stage floor and continued to swerve in its flaming wheel.

Holding her breath, May yelled another command-

"Hurry Skitty, use Assist to stop Cyndaquil!"

"Nnyyyaaaa!"

Immediately, the pink kitten's hand glowed white as it threw forward a random attack from one of May's other pokemon. After a pause and a flash of light, the white orb burst into a powerful gust of wind, rushing towards Cyndaquil and stopping it in its tracks.

_It's Silver Wind!_

As Cyndaquil's Flame Wheel instantly dissipated, May took the chance to quickly call out another attack.

"Assist again Skitty!"

The pink kitten nodded and shot another attack from its glowing paw. A spinning onslaught of fire came this time, rushing toward Kite's pokemon with incredible power. As Cyndaquil jumped safely out of the way however, Lucario got hit in the chest.

The aura pokemon yelled out as it was forced back down onto the stage floor, its fur smoking slightly from the Fire Spin attack. May held her breath hopefully. If she remembered correctely, Lucario was a steel pokemon, so its biggest weakness should be fire-

But, to her complete surprise and bewilderment, the Lucario swiftly leapt onto the balls of its feet again, flashing a smile as it brushed off the soot on its blue pelt.

Kite laughed a little at May's confounded expression.

"Sorry to disappoint May, but as you can see now, Lucario's pipe isn't just a fashion statement." The blond coordinator sidled up to the aura pokemon's side, tapping the pipe, and a shiver of self-reproach _for not taking that pipe into more consideration!_ ran down May's spine.

"You see May, there's energypowder in this pipe - a quite handy supply that we usually fill it with for every battle. Anyway, let's just say that this useful device has healed my Lucario almost completely. That Fire Spin of yours was almost pointless."

He sent her another smile, and May felt her hands close into fists, suddenly understanding why Kite was so _talkative_ - the whole time he was speaking, and she was _stupidly_ falling into his trap, he was surreptitiously _wasting their time away-!_

The blonde coordinator knew what his time limits were though. At once, his demeanor shifted, and Kite pointed at May, his eyes going from humor to concentration in a second.

"All right, now, let us end this battle! Lucario, use Thunder again!"

There was absolutely no time to stop the attack. The bolt of electricity crepitated loudly in the air, slamming toward the ground from the aura pokemon's hands. As Skitty was barely able to spring out of the way though, Munchlax was hit straight on. There was a burst of yellow light, and the big eater pokemon immediately collapsed to the ground with a weak, pained cry.

May screamed, almost tripping over her feet as she scrambled toward her injured pokemon.

"No Munchlax! Please, get up! Get up!" May pleaded, her eyes turning inadvertently to the clock. Down to the two minute mark. To make matters worse, she had lost almost two thirds of her points, and Kite had only lost half.

Her eyes flashed quickly towards Munchlax again. The normal type had stood up, but May's relief was short lived when she realized that the big eater pokemon's eyes were squinted in pain, its teal fur still covered by static electricity.

_Oh no! Munchlax is paralyzed!_

Kite laughed, light and controlled.

"Not too bad, huh May? I guess this is time to finish up; Cyndaquil, use Tackle! And Lucario, use Close Combat!"

Once again, the two pokemon rushed forward at Kite's command, charging toward Munchlax and Skitty with a startling fast speed. May looked around frantically for a strategy, panic creating a haze in her mind.

_I've got to trust my pokemon on this…time to rely on luck…_

"Skitty! Quickly, use Assist! And Munchlax, Metronome!"

In the audience, Dawn, Brock and Ash all gave a collective gasp.

"She can't be relying solely on luck!" Dawn exclaimed, covering her eyes.

Brock leaned forward anxiously. "She's putting all her trust in her pokemon. But if that double attack hits, it's all over!"

Ash's hands clenched into tight fists, his eyes wide with anxiety. _Come on, come on, you can't lose May…_

Skitty flipped around and pointed its glowing hand at the sky. From it came a glistening web of white strings, tangling with Cyndaquil and Lucario and stopping them in their tracks, only inches away from their targets.

_String Shot! Just at the right time!_

Relief mixed with adrenaline pulsed through her veins, filling May with renewed energy. She threw herself back into the battle, wanting to attack before Kite could counter.

"Great work Skitty! Don't stop shooting that String Shot!"

The kitten pokemon obeyed, pointing its still-glowing hand at Lucario and Cyndaquil. The two pokemon were now helplessly bound by countless of strong white strings, trying futilely to break free.

May's eyes flickered back to Munchlax, who, although paralyzed, was now moving its glowing hands in a hypnotic motion, back and forth, back and forth. After a certain number of sways, the glow intensified, and Munchlax pointed its hands at its opponent.

"Mmmmuunchlaax!"

The brightness of the glow was suddenly replaced by the powerful, deafening sound of fire. In a fast surge of heat, the white hot flames burst ahead toward Kite's pokemon.

"_What_ is that?" May gasped, her eyes wide with incredulity. She hadn't seen this attack before-

"Wow, what amazing power we are seeing!" Lillian said quickly into the microphone to the stunned audience. "There aren't many Heat Wave attacks we see that are this powerful!"

_Heat Wave?_

It didn't matter what attack it was. She got the luck of the draw, and she was going to use it. May blinked away the surprised look in her eyes and focused on the battle again. Both of Kite's pokemon were now trying even harder to break free of their bonds before the attack could hit them.

From across the stage, Kite closed his eyes coolly.

"Counter it Cyndaquil!"

With no need for further instruction, the fire mouse pokemon immediately stopped struggling and nodded once, twisting around and suddenly shooting an equally large blast of fire toward Munchlax's attack.

Kite winked at May.

"My dear Cyndaquil's Lava Plume. Comes in handy when things like this happen."

May gritted her teeth. The two fire attacks continued to battle each other, testing the other for weakness. May could see that Munchlax was starting to get tired though. Up on the billboard above their heads, she could also see both her and Kite's points steadily dropping, with only forty seconds left on the clock.

"Munchlax! Aim your Heat Wave at Lucario instead of Cyndaquil!" May yelled desperately, giving a last attempt to try and turn this battle around.

Munchlax cried out painfully, unable to obey. It couldn't even move its hands, the paralysis freezing up its body.

Kite laughed slightly, pleased.

"Sorry May, but looks like you lost this battle! Lucario! Break free of that silly String Shot and aim Dragon Pulse at both of your opponents!"

May's hands clenched into fists. Her eyes flickered toward the clock and back to her pokemon, searching, searching for_ some sort of strategy-!_

Her wide eyes rested on her Skitty, who was tensed in front of Munchlax, body leaning forward in both exhaustion and readiness to attack.

An unexpected second shot of adrenaline suddenly rushed through her body, making everything startlingly clear.

_Risky, but it will have to work!_

"Skitty! I want you to hit Munchlax with Doubleslap! Now!" she cried.

The kitten pokemon looked back at May in alarm. The brown haired coordinator only nodded, her mouth thinned into a tight line. The confusion then quickly dissolved from Skitty's eyes, replaced only by trust. The pink kitten gave a nod toward its trainer and raised its powerful tail, solidly slamming it into Munchlax.

The big eater pokemon gave a gasp as it fell over onto its side, writhing motionlessly in pain, still unable to move.

But the Heat Wave attack could.

As Munchlax fell over, its hands were suddenly pointed in a new direction, the flames now streaming toward a whole new target. Lucario, who was just running forward to release its Dragon Pulse attack, seemed to realize what was going to happen a second before it did.

The intense fire hit the steel pokemon straight on, a super effective and direct hit. It yelled out in pain as it was thrown into the air, suspended there for a brief second, and then plummeted back down to the stage. It then landed unsteadily on its feet, swaying once before falling to the ground.

Kite gasped, shocked. "No! Stand up Lucario! Stand up now!"

The aura pokemon's eyes flashed open, and it stumbled back into a standing position. May's eyes grew round with disbelief. In front of her, Skitty and Munchlax tensed again.

_DING!_

"AND OUR TIME'S UP!" Lillian shouted, her palm extended out to the audience like she was halting the clock herself. She twisted around on her heels and looked toward the judges. "Our winner?"

Kite crossed his fingers behind his back. May clutched at her ribbon necklace.

_(I can't lose-!)_

"May! You did it! You will be continuing on to the semi-finals!"

The crowd exploded with a fresh wave of cheering ovation. The brown haired coordinator's eyes widened in pure astonishment, the most _wonderful_ kind of incredulity-

The smile that spread across her face right after came so quickly, it was as if it had been there the whole time.

"I-I made it. I'm in the semi-finals. _I made it to the semi-finals._"

She kept repeating it over and over, trying to wrap her head around the concept, the lovely, _marvelous_ concept. Positively glowing as they bounced over, both Skitty and Munchlax skipped excitedly to their trainer's side, beaming at her despite their pain.

May looked down at her pokemon, her smile now so big that her cheeks hurt. She bent forward and cradled her pokemon in her arms, cheering loudly with Skitty, crooning soft words while stroking the paralysis off of Munchlax's teal coat.

"I'm so proud of both of you! You guys did _amazing_! Thank you, thank you so much-!" she said as she hugged them both tightly, kissing their fur, delighting in their laughter-

From the haze of her celebration, she suddenly remembered Kite. May stood up quickly and looked over at the blond coordinator from across the stage, biting her lip. His expression was understandably crestfallen, though he seemed to be holding it back. With measured movements, he returned his pokemon and then looked up to meet May's eyes with a small smile of congratulations. Delighted, she was quick to return that smile, and then swiftly returned her own pokemon as Lillian ushered them off the stage.

From behind her, the unbroken sound of cheers did not fade from her ears for a long time.

* * *

"I'm quite impressed May. You did well," Kite said once more, shaking May's hand as they returned back to the common room.

She grinned at him, shaking back amiably.

"Thanks Kite, but you did really well yourself! I don't think I would have pulled it off without that last Heat Wave attack."

And, as usual, Drew was suddenly there to agree with her self-deprecating statement, popping up from behind them with his usual smirk.

"Yeah May, looks like luck really plays a part in a coordinator's performance huh?" he asked, rolling his eyes.

May scowled at him, blue eyes fuming, and the green haired coordinator returned the look teasingly.

It was then that Ash, Brock and Dawn decided to enter the room, joining the group of coordinators. May felt her annoyance melt instantly and she waved cheerfully to her friends.

"Oh! Hi you guys!"

Brock smiled at the young coordinator's bright grin. "Now, what was it that you were worrying about before?" he asked with a nudge, and Dawn bounced over at the same time to exclaim, "Great job May! I knew you would win!"

Ash rolled his eyes graciously, coming to stand behind them.

"Oh, when _doesn't_ May win?" he asked jokingly, winking at May.

The brown haired coordinator blushed, and she was suddenly taken by the urge to take his gloved hand in hers, to _thank_ him, and see his golden eyes light up with pride-

"...ah, well, anyway thanks so much you guys! Only two more battles until that Ribbon Cup now!"

Drew interrupted then, just as Ash was going to say something else, unknowingly cutting off his words.

"Now don't get too cocky May! We all know who's going to be the top coordinator this year."

May turned to him with another amicably chafed stare, swatting at the green haired coordinator jokingly, and Ash's previous comment died in his throat.

"Why don't you tell that to someone else?" she asked Drew, half amused and half annoyed. Her green haired rival shrugged.

"I dunno, cause you're so fun to rile up?"

May laughed at that, and Ash felt a sickening twist in his chest when he once again realized that the laughter was _not_ for him, but for _Drew-_

The green haired coordinator smirked and turned away from the group.

"Okay, well, if you really don't want me here, I need to prepare for _my_ contest battle," he said flippantly, throwing one more wink toward May before promptly striding away.

May stared after him with a pout, waving with a 'good luck!', but then smiled and faced her friends again.

"Oh, you guys, how rude of me, you should meet Kite! He's the coordinator I was up against..." She gestured to the blond coordinator still seated on the bench beside her, who turned at the sound of his name.

Everyone introduced themselves, recounting the battle that had just taken place and other small talk. May joined in and out of the conversation from time to time, watching the other battles taking place on the T.V screen hanging on the wall, settled in a medium of contented conciliation.

She was completely unaware of Ash's eyes, which kept straying back to her even though he was supposedly talking to Kite. There was just..._something_ about the now-peaceful look on her face that just _glowed_, bringing a pleasant kindling to the pit of his heart, emanating through his body all the way to his fingertips.

That feeling was far stronger than any sort of painful _burning_ of..._jealousy_ that would ever twist inside his chest because of _Drew_.

And, reveling in that warmth, Ash realized that, whatever emotional roller coaster he was going through, it was totally worth it.

_(as long as he got to see that smile-)_

Just as he was about to open his mouth and say something to May though, the speaker above their heads crackled to life.

"Wow, how this Festival is moving along! Will everyone please pay attention, I will now announce the battle pairings for the semi-finals!"

The noise in the waiting room disappeared quickly as everyone turned to watch the screen, finalists and non-finalists alike. May suddenly realized that she hadn't been paying the closest of attention to who had won and who hadn't, though she supposed at the moment, it didn't quite matter.

_I wonder who I'll be up against this year…_

The results came agonizingly slow, seeing that there were only four coordinators left. Or perhaps they weren't. May blinked in surprise when the four pictures began flickering onto the screen, unable to absorb the information that was staring her right in the face-

Solidad's picture came first, flashing next to the photograph of another coordinator with dainty pale skin, intelligent eyes and long black hair that May dimly recognized as a girl named Kiri, who had been in a contest with her before-

And then her questing blue gaze finally found her own picture, cropped up next to an all too familiar green-haired coordinator's face.

"Drew," May breathed.

* * *

**-takes a deep breath- And we end it here! Next chapter might take some time to get up, I promise I'll try my best to write as much as I can.**

**(Oh, I just love writing as Harley - he's so flamboyant, it's so amusing xD)**

***Much thanks to fanfic author Captain Kite for providing as inspiration for the OC coordinator David (Kite) in this chapter :)***

**So, yes full of action :) Quite a change from my usual writing - ah, I had a very interesting time writing this. Haha, still tried to inject as much Advanceshipping as I could into that...**

**Oh! And if anyone is curious, the short quotes in the very beginning of the chapter - the 'voices' in May's head essentially - are direct quoting from episodes _'Cruisin' for a Losin'_ and _'Date Expectations'_ respectively. And, the memories shared between Ash and May during their 'handshake' are direct quoting from their famous 'handshake moments', during _'Home is Where the Start is'_ and _'Strategy with a Smile'_. :)**

**And one more thing...long chapters call for a lot of mistakes. If I missed anything, don't hesitate to tell me about it so I can fix it for the better!**

**Until next time! Reviews are always, _always_ loved ;)**

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'M BACK! -bright sparkling fireworks display ensues-**

**I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long - school has been so incredibly busy that I haven't had two seconds to really sit down and think. I thank you all for your patience and do hope that this newest chapter makes it all up :)**

**One thing though - I wrote the ending really quick because I really wanted to get this chapter up. I understand if it does not sound adequate - but I'll leave that decision up to you guys. I might just go back and change it later if I feel the need to.**

**Ah, this chapter was just _awful _to write…I spent this ridiculous amount of time writing the battle scene xD It still isn't quite what I envisioned it to be…mmm, well, tell me what you guys think of it! :)**

**Ok, I'm not going to have you listen to me babble anymore. Go on and read the chapter my friends!**

**Disclaimer: Not. Owning. Pokemon. -cries-**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"I'm against Drew?" May asked again, to no one in particular. Those three, insignificant words were having a hard time sinking in.

The silence following her question was oppressive, suffocating. May didn't know what to think, what to feel.

All on its own, a derisive laugh bubbled to her lips, a sound too high-pitched to be simply out of mirth.

_Of course. Looks like I can never break from the pattern. Harley, Drew, and then Solidad if I'm lucky,_ she thought bitterly to herself.

A little, confused voice in the back of her head asked what the big deal was. She had already passed the first two battle rounds. And she had beaten Drew in last year's Grand Festival. The waves of panic coming at her now should feel like nothing, like little ripples, seeing that she had gone through this anxiety so many times that day, so many times in the past.

_Yes, but Drew?_ She wanted to ask that voice, wanting it to answer her question. _Again?_

Her logic didn't really make sense, not even to herself. Drew was her rival after all, and it wasn't that she hadn't been expecting that she would go against him sooner or later. But she must have been so subconsciously hoping that this wouldn't happen, _not two years in a row_, that the sheer despair at this tiny bit of news surfaced only now, shattering her control and causing the panic to rise.

She had seen him get stronger, all throughout the year. She had seen his contests, as he had seen hers, and she knew how much better he had gotten. The anxiety of this stayed lodged in her throat, silently choking her.

Only a few seconds had passed as May thought this through. She could feel that her face had gone cold, and her hand was hurting. She looked down, a little alarmed, and saw that she was inadvertently clutching her ribbon necklace. She loosened her fingers quickly, pulling on a mask of calm because she could hear Drew approaching from behind her.

Ash's eyes flashed down to May's hand a second before she let go of the ribbon.

_May…?_

"So, looks like it's just you and me again this year," Drew remarked, now suddenly standing next to May. Unlike her, he looked completely at ease.

Even though she had known he was coming, his voice still made her jump. May turned to face him, forcing out a weak laugh.

"Yes, it's quite ironic, isn't it?" She flashed a brittle smile. Her insides still felt empty.

The green haired coordinator grinned. "You're not nervous, are you?" he taunted, prying at her anxiety.

May grimaced at him, shaking her head. "Fate is a funny thing Drew - you should watch what you say; I'm not going down easily," she warned, attempting to cover her nervousness with a feeble attempt at confidence.

Drew laughed with a patronizing nod. "Yeah, we'll see about that."

"Yes, we will," May whispered.

He looked like he was going to say something else after that, but decided not to. Shrugging to himself, he winked at May before turning around and walking away.

The brown haired coordinator shook her head slightly, then took a deep breath before turning around again, making sure her face was devoid of any nervousness.

"Well, looks like it's really getting down to the wire now," she said faintly, not quite meeting any of her friends' probing eyes.

Ash frowned at the change in her voice, silently mourning the loss of that _beautiful_ smile, deep down in his heart. He knew that calm mask well; it was one that he used sometimes.

"May, you really don't need to worry about anything…" he began, lifting his hand halfway to place on her shoulders. He caught her eyes as he did so though, and saw that she was staring at him with anxiety and distress and _something else he could not place-_

He couldn't do it. His _ludicrously flustered heart_ was stopping him again. Unable to take back his actions, he could only look away from May's gaze, awkwardly forcing his hand back down.

_(Why is it sometimes so hard?)_

_(What changed?)_

The brown haired coordinator pretended not to notice. She averted her gaze to the TV screen above them, suddenly wondering which pokemon she was going to use in the round against Drew.

Brock nodded seriously, agreeing with Ash's previous comment.

"You've been through the first two rounds; the semi-finals won't be too hard, don't worry about it."

Dawn peeked from behind him with an encouraging smile. "They're right, and, from what I've heard, you've beaten Drew before; you'll do great!"

May's eyes glimmered, plainly touched by her friends' enthusiasm.

_They really do care about me…_

The thought was (thankfully) enough to create a small, tranquil smile, which she quickly tugged over her lips.

Even as her two other friends returned the grin however, May still couldn't help wondering why _he_ wasn't saying anything at all.

Instead, the black haired boy had folded his arms, pensively quiet, looking out towards one of the windows of the common room, as if wondering why the clouds were prematurely rolling across the previously clear blue sky.

* * *

It didn't take long before May's turn in the semi-finals was announced. Extracting herself from her friends, she wished them a goodbye, making her way out of the common room with an unshakable insensibility to her movements. Even as she moved down the hallway toward the Festival stage, May couldn't quite feel herself; her body was only there in abstract.

But she had a handle on her nervousness now; it lay flattened under the numbness that she was trying to put herself into, stirring mildly with every piqued jolt of her heart.

"Well, you certainly look ready for this battle May. Is the nervousness getting to you?"

May turned sharply at the voice, spotting her green haired rival standing a few feet away, his arms folded lightly across his chest.

How did he keep sneaking up on her like that, always catching her off guard?

The anxiety sprang forward again. But this time, her friends weren't with her to give their reassurance.

_(And Ash wasn't here either.)_

May shook her head quickly, turning to grin acidly at Drew.

"No, I'm actually _ready_ for this battle, contrary to what _you _may believe, and let me tell you that I won't be easy to beat; not this year." She folded her arms stubbornly across her chest, her blue eyes hard.

"I'm sure, I'm sure." Drew's irritable smirk remained on his face though, and May felt the urge to wipe it off with her own venomous remark.

"Don't patronize me _Drew_. If you would remember, I _did_ beat you in the Festival last year."

She felt bad as soon as the words left her mouth - the bitter aftertaste of the insult unfamiliar as it lingered on her tongue.

But, to her surprise, Drew didn't even comment, didn't even defend himself. Instead, he walked toward her slowly, his expression slightly hurt, but also_ regretful._

There was something else too, hidden in his green eyes, but she couldn't quite understand what it was-

He stopped, directly in her face now. The planes of his skin were a strange sort of gentle, and May felt her whole body stiffen as the green haired coordinator gently reached forward, tugging innocently at her ribbon necklace.

She flinched, unable to look away, but at least regained motor control in her hands again as she shakily reached up to clutch the half ribbon, keeping it away from him in an almost _protective_ motion.

Drew searched her expression for a second longer, not seeming to find what he was looking for, and so finally leaned away.

"I know you won last year. I know. But, I'm still looking forward to our battle May. Good luck," he said simply, serenely.

And then he strode away toward the opposite hallway without a backwards glance.

May blinked, staring after him in confusion.

_Drew…?_

"Final call for the 1st round of semi-finalists! Final call!"

The brown haired coordinator jumped up at the announcement, permitting herself a quivering breath. Eyeing the ribbon still grasped in her hand, she released it, letting it swing unguarded from its gold chain, before turning to run the rest of the way down the hallway, leaving all incomplete thoughts withering behind her.

* * *

"Welcome back everyone! If everyone would settle down; the semi-finals will now begin!"

The crowd roared with anticipation at Lillian's brazen announcement. A distinct humming of exhilaration hung like a mist above their heads, once dormant but now fully awakened. The semi-finals were here. Only two more battles and the winner of the Ribbon Cup would finally be determined.

Lillian raised her hands to the scoreboard above her.

"So! As we introduce the first battle on the semi-final stage, please welcome Drew, from LaRousse City, and May, from Petalburg City! Let us congratulate these two coordinators for making it this far!"

The crowd applauded again, one cheer blending into the next. Ash, Brock and Dawn all sat up straighter in their seats.

"We've got 5 minutes on the clock; without further ado, let the battle: BEGIN!"

From across the stage, Drew adjusted his posture, stiffening the slightest bit as his eyes met May's. The two coordinators remained frozen, as if mentally battling for dominance, before the signal of the starting timer snapped them both into consciousness.

Almost like flicking a switch, Drew's smile melted into a look of concentration. He swiftly tossed his pokeballs into the air, radiating self-assurance and an almost violent sort of determination.

"All right, it's show time! Roserade and Flygon, let's go!"

In a flash of red light, both of Drew's pokemon flew out of their pokeballs and flipped gracefully onto the stage. May's eyes narrowed attentively.

_Grass and Dragon…who should I choose…_

With a sharp flick of her wrists, May then also threw two pokeballs into the air.

"Beautifly and Venusaur! It's your turn to take the stage!"

Her own pokemon burst from their pokeballs with equal grace and speed, landing in perfect sync across from Drew's pokemon. The electricity in the air splintered with a silent, ruthless shriek, setting the fraught rivalry between the two long-time rivals aflame.

May straightened infinitesimally, looking out at Drew's ready team, the contest-sharpened part of her mind momentarily taking over. It began to calculate, studiously appraising each aspect of the impending battle that was just hovering above the stadium in its dark wings, ready to infiltrate the rigid, neutral space between the two coordinators.

_...Beautifly and Venusaur..._

_...bug type attacks should have an advantage over Roserade..._

_...but Flygon's a dragon type and..._

_...Venusaur's grass attacks won't do much damage..._

_...what if I had chosen Blaziken instead..._

_...no, but remember that Drew taught his Roserade how to perform both Rain Dance and Weather Ball..._

_...against Blaziken, that would have been a weakness...but against Venusaur, those attacks won't do much damage..._

May's jaw tightened in confidence, her hand moving to the green pack at her waist as if silently promising her Blaziken that she would be using it soon.

_Get a grip May...you are making the right choices...this way you'll save your strongest and most experienced pokemon for the last, final battle..._

_Well, that is if you actually **make** it to the finals..._

The silence was starting to unravel her.

From across the stage, Drew watched May's varying expressions as they flashed across her face with growing amusement. He was toying with her, she realized, and a brush of anger licked up her spine, burning her insecurities, even if for just a second...

But it was at that moment that Drew decided he had indeed strung out the pressured stress between them long enough, and he confidently stepped forward, stealing May's words from her mouth and calling out the first attack.

"Ok, enough of this, let us start the battle! Flygon, use Dragonbreath on Venusaur! And Roserade, use Magical Leaf on Beautifly!"

At the sound of his voice, the frozen silence cracked, hissing as the battle finally extended its greedy fingers, trapping the stadium in its clutches. Shrieking out a battle cry, Flygon immediately lifted into the air, opening its mouth and shooting out a powerful blast of green energy at Venusaur. Roserade followed suit and leapt up from behind its companion, throwing forward sharp, brightly colored leaves at Beautifly.

May's nervousness went into spiral-mode, melted by her sudden, powerful thirst for _victory_.

"Counter that with Petal Dance Venusaur! And use Gust to dodge Beautifly!"

With an equal amount of resounding power, Venusaur quickly obeyed, sending out a torrent of sparkling, pink petals, crashing into Flygon's Dragonbreath and canceling it out. Beautifly then spun out of the way of both ricocheting attacks, using Gust to maneuver around Roserade's dangerous leaves. Then, with a quick spin, it sent all the leaves back with a final gust of wind.

"Stop that with Flamethrower Flygon!" Drew yelled out.

The mystic pokemon screeched again, diving down toward the leaves and spitting out a volley of hot flames. The rebounding Magical Leaf attack dissolved quickly in the heat.

Both coordinators lost a section of their points, vanishing out of sight with the time.

"Again Flygon!"

Immediately, Flygon dove forward and spat another powerful jet of fire its opponents.

May didn't even flinch.

"Beautifly! Spin while using Gust to hit Flygon! Combine that with Vine Whip, Venusaur!"

The butterfly pokemon nodded once, immediately surrounding itself in a twisting whirlwind of air before launching itself into Flygon's Flamethrower. The fast wind acted like a shield, spreading the flames outward and extinguishing them. With one last quick push, Beautifly then slammed into Flygon, knocking it backwards.

The mystic pokemon screeched, forced back by the unexpected attack. From behind it, Roserade quickly danced out of the way, while all at once trying to dodge Venusaur's powerful green vines, striking just inches away from its target again and again. Drew gritted his teeth in mute irritation as he watched his points fall.

"Quickly, use Petal Dance Roserade! And then grab onto Venusaur's vines Flygon!"

No!

The bouquet pokemon immediately came to a fluid stop, swerving back and, instead of dodging, ran up Venusaur's outstretched vine. It leapt gracefully into the air, and then shot a full powered Petal Dance at Beautifly.

There was no time to dodge. Beautifly gave a sharp cry as it was hit straight on by the attack, made immobile by the fast current of rushing petals. Venusaur's eyes grew wide, and quickly reached out its two vines to assist. However, before they could reach their target, Flygon swiftly dove toward them and snatched both of Venusaur's vines. Then, in a sudden, astonishing show of strength, Flygon tugged and lifted Venusaur off the ground.

"No! Venusaur, Beautifly!" May gasped.

The seed pokemon cried out in pain, now flailing helplessly in the air, dangling from Flygon's grasp. It thrashed wildly, trying to break free, but this only caused Flygon to yank harder.

May's eyes were wide with panic, turning quickly to desperation as she watched her points suffer a huge drop.

"Beautifly! Help Venusaur!"

The butterfly pokemon's eyes wrenched open at the sound of her voice. It struggled even harder against the current of petals, pushing forward and slamming hard into Roserade with a Tackle attack. As it finally broke free, Beautifly then soared over to Flygon, poised to aim another attack.

"Jump Roserade!" Drew shouted.

The bouquet pokemon allowed itself a quick smile, then leapt up high into the air before landing directly on Beautifly's back. The butterfly pokemon gave a small cry as the sudden weight sent it tumbling through the air.

"Solarbeam!" Drew commanded once more.

"No! Shake Roserade off!" May cried.

Beautifly caught itself quickly and rose back into the air, its eyes narrowing when it felt the extra weight on its back. In an agile movement, it climbed higher into the sky, then started to spiral down in a dangerous plunge toward the stage.

The grass pokemon could not hold on any longer. It released its hold and allowed itself to fall toward the ground. However, as it did, it twisted around and shot a powerfully-charged Solarbeam straight at Beautifly.

Unable to evade the attack, the bug pokemon was hit directly on its back, sending it flying across the stage before plummeting straight to the ground.

"No Beautifly! Get up!" May cried. Through her peripheral vision, she could see another part of her points vanish. Her eyes darted from Beautifly to Venusaur, who was still struggling in Flygon's grasp. It was in that moment that both fear and anxiety injected a startlingly clear shot of realization through her system.

It must have been Drew's motive to separate her two pokemon from the start, exposing their weaknesses in a fashion where they could not give or receive help from their partners. If she wanted to gain the upper hand in the battle then, she had to break his strategy and now.

May's eyes flickered toward the large dragon pokemon hovering in the air. Though Flygon definitely had the advantage over Venusaur, it was tiring from its weight. Fast.

Drew seemed to have noticed this at the same time that she did.

"Flygon! Spin and hurl Venusaur at the ground now!" he shouted.

May made the decision so swiftly that she didn't even pause to wonder whether or not it would actually work.

"Hang in there Venusaur! Whatever you do, _don't let go!_"

The seed pokemon's eyes widened in confusion for one second before it hardened into determination. As Flygon released its hold on the two vines, Venusaur closed its eyes, bracing for pain, and stretched its vines even farther, gripped both of the mystic pokemon's wings and _tugged._

Flygon screeched as the unanticipated weight dragged it momentarily to the ground, pulling it from its place in the air. And, though Venusaur's vines were clearly in pain, the grass starter did not let go.

At that moment, both Drew and May shouted a rushed command.

"Flygon, Iron Tail!"

"Venusaur, Petal Dance!"

In a blurred formation of movement, both pokemon reacted. Flygon's tail suddenly glowed brightly, twisting around to strike its opponent. At that same moment, Venusaur roared and released a flood of sparkling petals, pushing it off from Flygon and narrowly dodging the Iron Tail attack.

Flygon reeled back in pain, thrashing wildly as it was stricken by the onslaught of petals. Its jerking movements suddenly sent its still-glowing tail lashing forward, hitting Venusaur on its side. With a sharp cry of pain, the grass pokemon lost its balance and started falling to the ground, straight above the place that Beautifly was now struggling to get up from.

"No! Venusaur, use Vine Whip, quickly!" May cried.

"_Venusauurr!_" The seed pokemon quickly lashed out its thick vines again, this time striking the ground below. The impact slowed Venusaur's fall, allowing it to flip around and land safely behind Beautifly. At the sudden jolt created by Venusaur's landing, Beautifly's eyes flickered open. With some effort, it rose back up into the air.

A smile flashed across May's tense face as she found both of her pokemon to be unharmed.

"Wonderful job Venusaur! Now Beautifly, use Morning Sun!"

The butterfly pokemon nodded and rose higher into the air, spreading its wings out under the clear sky. In a sparkling show of healing light, energy gathered in the center of Beautifly's body, transferring all the way to the tips of its wings.

Drew suddenly saw his chance.

"Flygon and Roserade! Flamethrower combination while Beautifly is still healing!"

Both pokemon nodded, throwing themselves back into the battle. Roserade took one second to charge its energy before running forward and thrusting out its hands, discharging a powerful SolarBeam attack. Flygon then soared overhead and spat a swirling torrent of flames. The two attacks combined into one powerful beam of light in the middle of the stage before speeding forward toward Venusaur and Beautifly.

"Dodge that!" May shrieked.

Upon hearing this, Venusaur quickly turned and threw itself out of the way, narrowly missing the direct hit. However, Beautifly could not move, now too close to the beam of energy to even duck out of the way.

May panicked. "Use Psychic to block that Beautifly!"

"_Beeauuutifly!_" The bug pokemon's eyes immediately turned blue, and the beam of light suddenly slowed, surrounded by a blue aura, stopping only inches away from Beautifly's face. But Beautifly seemed to be in pain. With its expression set into a determined glare, it struggled to turn the attack back around.

Suddenly however, it was too much. The beam of light broke through its encasement and thrust forward with more power than before. Beautifly gasped as its Psychic attack shattered apart, swiftly trying to twist out of the way. However, even though it did avoid a direct and fatal hit, the attack still managed to hit Beautifly's wing, pushing it to the ground.

May winced. She had forgotten that Beautifly was still a little shaky when it came to stopping fast moving attacks with Psychic. Her eyes flashed to Drew in an oppressive glare.

"Beautifly, are you all right?" she asked tersely, not taking her eyes off her opponent. The butterfly pokemon shook itself off and lifted into the air again, nodding once.

"Ok then, hang in there a little longer you guys! Venusaur, use Razor Leaf to hit Flygon, and Beautifly, use Aerial Ace on Roserade!"

With startlingly fast speed, the butterfly pokemon hurtled through the air, leaving a white streak behind it as it approached Roserade. Rushing in after it, Venusaur then starting hurling sharp leaves at the dragon pokemon hovering in the air.

Drew smirked, shaking his head as if in disapproval. "Use Sandstorm, Flygon!"

The mystic pokemon complied, rapidly flapping its wings to stir up clouds of dust into the air. There was a loud roaring of wind, followed by the shrieking cry of sand as it was lifted into dangerous, swirling clouds.

Both Venusaur and Beautifly stopped in their attacks and shut their eyes, recoiling from the billowing clouds of sand, trying futilely to fight against the sudden attack. May's eyes stung and watered as she tried to tell them to fight back.

"Beautifly, use Silver Wind to blow away the dust! And Venusaur, help Beautifly out with Petal Dance!" she choked out.

Though May's voice made barely a sound, both pokemon knew what to do. Wrenching their eyes open at her command, they turned sharply toward the stinging particles of sand and threw themselves into it. Beautifly cried out as it quickly flapped its wings, releasing a high powered, silvery gust, clearing the air. Venusaur then lurched forward and sent out a stream of glowing petals, the force of the attack pushing against the rest of the dust and blowing it backwards toward Drew's pokemon

"Steel Wing and Stun Spore combination!" Drew shouted.

Narrowly dodging the backfiring attacks, Flygon rose back into the air and began racing forward, its wings glowing a dangerous white. Roserade then leapt forward after it, releasing an orange, powdery substance into the air.

May's eyes widened, suddenly remembering how she had lost her first Grand Festival because of that Stun Spore. Reclaiming her senses, she quickly called out a combination of her own.

"Aerial dance!" she shouted.

Both Venusaur and Beautifly sprang up again from their positions, launching themselves into the fray. After dodging the oncoming cloud of Stun Spore, Beautifly flipped through the air and hovered right in front of Flygon, as if taunting it forward. As the mystic pokemon rushed toward it, wings outstretched, Beautifly abruptly dropped from the sky, evading the attack and allowing Venusaur to throw out a powerful Petal Dance and Razor Leaf combination at Flygon from behind. Then, with a final, graceful twist, Beautifly plunged forward with an Aerial Ace, slamming into a distracted Roserade from its place in the sky.

"Wow!" Dawn gasped, squinting toward the scoreboard from the audience. "That was almost perfect!"

A smile flashed across Brock's tense face. "Yes, that's definitely going to make Drew lose some big points."

Ash nodded, eyes riveted on the battlefield. "That's showing them May!" he shouted encouragingly.

With a loud, drawn out cry, Drew's pokemon were simultaneously thrown back by the combination attack, collapsing in a heap in front of their trainer's feet. Up on the scoreboard, Drew's points lowered significantly.

But still not enough.

The green haired coordinator's worried expression smoothed out. He looked over at May, flashing a taunting grin.

"Rain Dance, Roserade!" he shouted.

Hearing this, the bouquet pokemon scrambled to its feet, a mysterious smile replacing the weary expression on its face. Gracefully, it danced to the middle of the stage, lifting its arms up and forming a bright, blue orb of energy in the center. There was a blinding flash, and then Roserade hurled the orb at the sky.

The effect was instantaneous. Once the orb of energy hit the sky, the sun darkened, gray clouds rolling in and swathing the air in its dusky shadow. The wind picked up and began to shriek, instantly followed by the unmistakable sound of roaring thunder in the distance. Then, with almost exaggerated slowness, a shrouded mist covered the battlefield, followed immediately by the distinct_ plink plink_ of descending rain.

"And it looks like Drew is going to change the battle around with a Rain Dance!" Lillian announced, extracting an umbrella to shield herself from the rain. The audience gave no clear reply, as if too absorbed in the battle to even notice the water falling upon them.

May's hands clenched into fists. This was it. Drew's major strategy. Without even seeing the outcome, she already knew that something bad was going to happen.

Drew's grin flashed again. "All right! Roserade, jump onto Flygon! And Flygon, use your Dragonbreath attack!"

The bouquet pokemon nodded and swiftly leapt onto Flygon's back. The mystic pokemon caught its partner and flew high into the air, screeching a cry that sounded almost like a taunting laugh before spitting out a powerful jet of green energy at both Beautifly and Venusaur.

_Don't panic, don't panic_…"Dodge that you two!" May shouted.

Venusaur immediately bounded out of the way, splashing into one of the many gathering puddles as it evaded the beam of energy. Beautifly followed quickly, flitting safely away toward the opposite wall.

Drew showed no sign of irritation, his expression instead turning a bit smug. "Turn around and use your Fire and Water combination!" he shouted.

_Fire and Water?_

All at once, Flygon flew back toward May's pokemon and discharged a burst of hot fire. Roserade then stood up, still perched on Flygon's back, and threw forward a charged Weather Ball toward the flames.

Once the Weather Ball attack hit the falling rain, it transformed into a swirling ball of water. The flames engulfed it, propelling it forward, merging into a destructive beam of energy.

_No!_

May's temper flared, going from astonishment to outrage in a second.

_He copied my move! Fire and water is my strategy!_

She had used a combination of fire and water during a contest against Drew recently. She still remembered telling the green haired coordinator about it, recalling with thoughtful nostalgia that she had learned it from Ash sometime during their travels in the Battle Frontier, and how it had helped her out in many a battle since then…

_No wonder Drew was so adamant to learn this strategy from me! He wanted to use it against me!_

Adrenaline fueled with anger flushed her skin, jolted her heart. She could actually _imagine _the playful smirk that would twist his lips when he would try and defend himself-

"_Well May, all's fair in love and war."_

But it never was love. It was definitely _war_.

_Fine then, if that's how you want to play…_

Her voice rang over the rumbling thunder.

"SILVER LEAF!"

In the audience, Ash and Brock turned to each other, confusion written on both their faces. _Silver Leaf?_

Contrary to everyone else, Venusaur and Beautifly knew exactly what this meant. They sent each other a brief, conspiring glance before launching themselves into the fray.

Venusaur's expression held no trace of fear even as it plunged headlong toward the middle of the battlefield. Then, skidding to a stop in front of the beam hurtling toward it, Venusaur roared and threw forward a multitude of fast, sharp leaves from its open flower. Then, with perfectly synchronized timing, Beautifly dove from its place in the sky and released a swirling Silver Wind and Psychic combination.

The two attacks merged a split second before its collision with Drew's attack combination. A quick, bright glow flashed as Venusaur's Razor Leaf became encased in a silvery, sparkling powder, turning slightly blue as it spun in an ever-increasing streak of energy. There was a second of hesitation as the two beams convened; that second sending shock waves of anticipation soaring into the raining sky. Then in a final, forceful push, the two beams crashed together.

The collision was mercurial. An explosion of power spread from the center of the crash and surged painfully through the battlefield, throwing both Drew's pokemon and May's pokemon flying back toward their trainers. The sky rumbled ominously, as if echoing the sound of the collision.

The audience was stunned. Lillian cleared her throat slightly, a little unsteady on her feet.

"Wow! With ingenious combinations from both sides, it looks like neither coordinator is ready to give up yet!" she announced. "We have only 2 minutes left of this battle, and it looks like either Drew or May could pull this off!"

A spark of frustration broke through Drew's otherwise impassive expression. May answered it with a small smirk, trying to mask the sudden panic that had ignited inside of her thoughts.

_Drew still has more points than me…I'm going to run out of time…_

She didn't let herself finish the thought. Pushing the doubt into the recesses of her mind, she rushed forward to her pokemon.

"Venusaur, Beautifly? Are you guys feeling ok to keep battling?"

The seed pokemon got up, a little slowly, and Beautifly rose beside it. Though weariness seemed to be the dominant expression on their faces, there was also a determination there, overshadowing it.

May smiled, standing up. Drew's pokemon were already up and ready again. Her eyes narrowed, blinking away the droplets of rain that fell into her eyelashes.

"We can do this guys, I promise! Beautifly, use Psychic on Roserade now! And Venusaur, use a Vine Whip and Tackle combination on Flygon!"

"Counter with Flamethrower Flygon! And Roserade, use Magical Leaf on Beautifly!"

The battle was thrown into action again, revitalized by the frantic race against time. Venusaur shook itself off briefly before running forward toward Flygon, striking its large vines onto the ground and pushing itself up into the air. Beautifly hovered above them, letting out a cry as it aimed a bright blue ray of energy at Roserade.

With an impressive show of speed, the bouquet pokemon leapt away from the Psychic attack and then promptly twisted around to shoot bright, glowing leaves at Beautifly. The butterfly pokemon gasped and darted away. However, the leaves suddenly changed direction, curving through the misty air and turning to strike Venusaur.

The seed pokemon's eyes widened, swerving out of the way as not to get hit. However, its combination attack was now interrupted, throwing it off balance. Venusaur crashed back onto the stage, creating a small splash.

It was right then that Flygon dove from its place in the sky, screeching as it aimed a powerful Flamethrower at the temporarily immobilized Venusaur. May's eyes widened in panic.

_If that hits, it will be super effective-_

Her eyes darted toward one of the puddles on the stage, formulating a quick plan. "Beautifly, quick! Aim your Psychic at the rainwater!"

The butterfly pokemon nodded and swooped low toward the ground, its eyes glowing blue. One of the puddles gathered into a small ball of water in the air before hurling itself toward Flygon's Flamethrower.

The water quickly doused the stream of fire, splashing into Flygon. The mystic pokemon recoiled briefly, hissing as it wiped the water from its eyes. A shriek of indignation ripped from its throat.

Drew closed his eyes, unbothered.

"Stun Spore Roserade! And then use Steel Wing Flygon!"

Drew's pokemon leapt forward immediately at his command, as if they too, knew time was running out. Singing ominously with the thunder, Roserade twirled in a graceful circle before releasing a thick, choking cloud of orange powder.

"Get out of there!" May cried out. If her pokemon got paralyzed now, they wouldn't be able to-

Beautifly and Venusaur did not need another warning. They tried to quickly get out of the way, springing toward opposite sides of the stage.

But the Stun Spore was too fast. A slight wind blew toward the cloud and it rushed toward May's pokemon, stopping them in their tracks. It was then that Flygon saw its chance. With a screech, it flew toward the two paralyzed pokemon, wings outstretched, and hit them directly with a powerful Steel Wing attack.

"No! Venusaur, Beautifly!" May screamed, watching as her pokemon were thrown back with a cry of pain. Her points were dropping, slipping through her fingers, as the seconds were…

At that moment, the rain suddenly cleared, the droplets halting as if by magic. Sunlight pushed through the dark clouds in glowing shafts, the light bouncing momentarily across the puddles scattered across the stage. May squinted, lifting her hand to shield her eyes from the glow. But then, her hand froze, inspiration hitting her like a solid brick wall.

_That's it!_

Sparing no glance toward the clock, she yelled out, "Don't lose hope yet guys! Beautifly, quick, use Morning Sun!"

Beautifly closed its eyes briefly, shaking off the heavy stupor that the Stun Spore had cast on its wings. Then, it gave an unwavering cry, hovering into the air and, with slight difficulty, released its Morning Sun attack.

Glowing streaks of light filled the air with glittering radiance, expanding from the tips of Beautifly's wings in sparkling rays, even stronger under the direct sunlight. The bright beams bounced off the puddles, flashing like mirrors, sending blinding light back into Flygon and Roserade's eyes.

Drew squinted a little, shouting a blind attack without wasting any time.

"Roserade! Quick, use a Solarbeam now!"

But May was already one step ahead of him.

"Venusaur, Vine Whip into Synthesis!" she cried, a smile flashing across her face. She knew that Drew wouldn't have let up the chance to use the brighter-than-usual sunlight. She crossed her fingers, hoping the strategy would work.

Just as Roserade leapt up and shot a powerful Solarbeam, quicker than usual due to the bright sunlight now penetrating through the field, Venusaur had jumped up, freed from the Stun Spore cloud by the healing, green aura now surrounding its form, sweeping its powerful vines and striking Roserade's Solarbeam with a visible _crack_, forcibly ricocheting it back towards Drew.

"Dodge that!" Drew shouted. But both the light from Beautifly's Morning Sun and from Venusaur's Synthesis blinded Roserade. It could not move, made immobile by its loss of sight. The Solarbeam struck the ground in front of it, sending the bouquet pokemon hurtling backwards and crashing into Flygon hovering behind it.

Drew's hands balled into fists, clearly berating himself. His eyes flashed from the scoreboard, to the clock, then toward his pokemon. "Get up you guys! Just a little longer!"

Roserade's eyes flickered open, and it quickly leapt up again, striking a battle stance. Flygon shook its wings and rose back into the sky, its eyes flashing anger. Both pokemon had little trace of weariness in their expressions.

May felt her momentary confidence draining away.

_I need another strategy; time is running out! All I can hope for is a quick knockout of at least one of them-_

"Venusaur and Beautifly, use a Psychic and Petal Dance combination against Roserade!" she cried out.

Right as the words fell from May's lips however, a smirk suddenly flashed across Drew's face. The panic in his eyes dimmed, and he lowered his head slightly.

"Rescue formation," he whispered.

_Oh no…that can't mean-!_

May's throat tightened as she tried to call her pokemon back, to stop the attack, but it was already too late.

Venusaur had let out a surge of pink petals, cascading forward with the combined force of Beautifly's Psychic attack. The two attacks tore through the air, extremely fast and seemingly unavoidable.

But Roserade stood unmoving, watching Venusaur and Beautifly's combination attack hurtle forward without even the slightest change in its expression. Slowly, it raised its bouquets to the sky, as if in a surrendering move.

Then, in a blurred configuration of movement, multiple things happened at once.

Once Roserade lifted its arms, Flygon suddenly came barreling toward its partner, tearing through the air with impeccable speed. Roserade heard the mystic pokemon's approach and leapt high into the air, right as Venusaur and Beautifly's combination attack struck the empty space it had been only a second before. With perfectly measured timing, Flygon then swooped in and caught Roserade as it fell back toward the ground, sharply angling its body so both pokemon were suddenly rushing upward into the sky.

But Roserade's hands weren't empty now. Balanced between the flowers was a bright, white orb of carefully concentrated energy, glowing dangerously in the light of the sun. Flygon saw this and gave an almost unnoticeable nod before fluidly twisting around and shooting downwards in a sharp plummet from the sky.

"Roseeeerade!" The bouquet pokemon twisted around and threw forward its hands, aiming its Solarbeam toward May. Flygon then shrieked a cry, spitting a combination of Dragonbreath and Flamethrower from its mouth. The attacks fused in a bright flash of energy, then surged forward with the sheer power of its speed.

The beam hit the ground with a deafening explosion, forcing Venusaur and Beautifly flying backwards in the face of its power. May's scream was drowned out by the aftershock of the earsplitting crash, and she could only watch helplessly as both her pokemon collapsed onto the ground with a sickening _thud_.

"Venusaur, Beautifly!" May shouted in despair, the cry ripping from her throat. Sprawled across the platform, her pokemon didn't respond immediately - too, _too_ still for another moment.

But then, they stirred.

Beautifly tugged its wide eyes open, rising slowly into the air, but it was breathing heavily, visible wounds painted across its wings. Venusaur followed after with a pained groan, helping the butterfly pokemon steady itself in the air with a nudge from its shoulders, though its steps were labored as it pushed itself off the ground, face contorted with pain.

"No," May whispered. Her pokemon had virtually no energy left. Suddenly, she feared for their safety more than anything else.

"I can't…"

_(hurt you anymore…)_

At her wounded tone, Venusaur suddenly whipped its head around, startling its trainer with a jagged, headstrong stare of its ruby colored eyes. Shaking the stadium grounds with its heavy steps, the seed pokemon gave a loud, frustrated roar, leaning forward and glaring at its opponent, tough skin suddenly bursting into a bright, fiery green aura.

May's eyes widened in disbelief, a sudden wave of déjà vu masking the scene in front of her like glass.

_My Blaziken and Ash's Sceptile…the bright glow after that explosion…Sceptile was surrounded by a green aura too-_

"It's Overgrow!" May gasped, the surroundings flooding back into her awareness.

"And it looks like Venusaur isn't giving up without a fight, having activated its Overgrow ability!" Lillian interjected, gesturing to the glowing pokemon on the stage. "And with time slipping through their fingers, it looks like our two coordinators aren't going to give in until the last second!"

_I'm not going to waste this chance, not when Venusaur is trying so hard…_

Pokemon and coordinator shared a look, the grass pokemon radiating energy and willpower, daring its beloved trainer to give up, to even let the thought cross her mind.

_I'm willing to fight until I collapse, understand? Don't give up-!_

Tears of gratitude gathered in the corners of her eyes, and May didn't even bother to shake them off, screaming out-

"All right Venusaur! Let's show them what you've got! Full powered Petal Dance! And Beautifly, combine it with your Silver Wind!"

Though they were so tired that they could barely stand, both pokemon plunged impetuously toward their opponents once more, throwing forward whatever power they had left.

Drew's smirk didn't quite leave his face. He could see how drained May's pokemon were.

"Flygon, use Sandstorm now!"

The mystic pokemon nodded and flew higher into the air, rapidly flapping its wings and creating a large cloud of dust. Drew took one step back and closed his eyes. _This is going to be easy…_

But they had already made it too far to lose now. May threw forward another command so quickly it was as if she had foreseen it.

"Don't stop you guys! Angle your attack towards that storm!"

Venusaur and Beautifly immediately swerved out of the way, shooting their combined assault toward the sandstorm. The dust blew away immediately, the sand scattering across the floor of the stage. As Beautifly's Silver Wind expired after clearing the storm however, Venusaur's Petal Dance pushed onward, unstoppable, hyper-powered from Overgrow.

Not expecting the attack, Flygon had no time to dodge the tempest of glittering petals, washing over the mystic pokemon's immobilized body as it thrashed in the air, hissing as its wings suddenly gave out and it slid low to the ground, lifting back into a hover with some difficulty.

Pleased, Venusaur gave a soft, tired smirk. Flygon shrieked in reply, but its fatigue was still minimal compared to its opponent. Digging her nails into her palm, May swept her eyes across the stage floor, searching for another form of attack, sketching past the muddy puddles on the platform from the leftover dust of Flygon's deteriorated sandstorm…

_That's it!_

May's eyes flashed toward her newest, half-formed strategy, then back to Flygon. For a brief second, she recalled how Beautifly had hurled its makeshift water ball at Flygon, causing it to recoil as the liquid splashed into its protected gaze-

_The sand may have no effect on its eyes…but muddy water could-_

"Beautifly, use Psychic on the ground!"

The butterfly pokemon did not need further instruction, as if it knew what May was thinking. It swiftly gathered the mud into a compacted sphere before hurling it like a snowball at Flygon's face.

Beautifly's accuracy was immaculate. The mud blinded Flygon for a brief second, causing the mystic pokemon to lash back, furiously wiping at its eyes. Roserade, still clinging onto Flygon's back, now struggled to keep from falling off.

"Quick Venusaur! Use a full powered Razor Leaf and Vine Whip combination!"

The seed pokemon roared, bounding forward with the remaining energy from its Overgrow and releasing a storm of sharp leaves, its power increased to unthinkable levels. Unable to dodge, the attack struck Flygon directly on the chest, forcing the mystic pokemon to drift back, eyes squeezed shut in pain. And, as it recoiled, Venusaur immediately threw forward two thick vines, smacking the dragon type from the air and crashing it into Roserade across the stage.

"No, Flygon!" Drew cried, shock momentarily paralyzing his expression. Both of his pokemon stood up again with difficulty as their trainer approached them, but their eyes were now alight with fury.

Drew's own expression seemed to mirror that fury.

"Ok, then, show them your Flamethrower combination! No holding back!" he commanded.

Flygon immediately rose into the air again, spitting out a torrent of flames. Roserade spun and rushed in from behind it, aiming its charged Solarbeam toward the flames.

The attack was inescapable, violent, furious. It tore through the hazy air and struck Venusaur fully on the chest, sending it plummeting across the stage before collapsed in front of May, unmoving and perfectly still.

"No! Venusaur!" May screamed. She fell to her knees in front of the grass starter, shock still gripping her expression. _No, please, open your eyes for me, please-!_

The distinct sound of a flashing "X" rang with painful accuracy in May's ears.

"And it looks like Venusaur is unable to battle!" Lillian announced.

"No!" Dawn cried, sitting up straighter in her seat. "Not Venusaur…"

"Drew still has two pokemon – I don't know how May is going to pull this off now…" Brock's voice was layered with reluctant pessimism, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"No, no, May can't lose this; she still has a chance, she still does!" Ash exclaimed, contradicting them both. His hand went into his pocket, grasping the ribbon half between taut fingers.

_(You can do this, I know you can, you cannot lose-!)_

May gently brushed her fingers across Venusaur's closed eyelids, kissing its forehead, before standing up and extracting its pokeball from her pack, returning the grass starter in a flash of red light. She then brought the pokeball to her lips, whispering to it.

"You did so wonderfully Venusaur; thank you, thank you so much. You deserve a long rest."

Tenderly, she placed the pokeball back into her pack. But, as she looked up again, her blue eyes had already clouded, becoming overcast with empty resolve.

What more could she do now? Beautifly was still hovering in the air, determined not to lose. But how much more could she hurt her pokemon? They were trying so hard, giving all they had…yet she couldn't give them what they wanted most…what _she _wanted most-

The clock was ticking away. How much more time? Her points were so much lower than Drew's. The only hope she had was a quick knockout. But Flygon was still strong, vitally beating its wings. Roserade was a bit weaker, and Bug moves were super effective against it…but with that rescue formation that Drew had come up with…if she tried to hit Roserade, Flygon would just swoop in and a split second later, they would be racing safely into the sky…

A split second.

_(A…split…second-?)_

That was all she needed.

May felt as though a shaft of light had just illuminated her view, cutting through the doubt with icy precision. Roserade had taken a brief pause before it had leapt up into the air, and that was when Flygon came in to carry it to safety...

...but if she hit Flygon _first_ and stopped that rescue attempt from happening-

Only a few seconds had passed as May sorted this out. The idea was still slightly obscure. But, in times like this, she was willing to grasp at even the slightest of chances if they were to turn up.

_(because, in a contest where you race against time, a split second could change everything-)_

"Beautifly, use Aerial Ace on Roserade!" she cried out.

Her voice cut through the silence like a shard of broken glass. The butterfly pokemon turned toward its trainer, as if trying to remind May of Drew's special combination attack. But all May did was nod, urging her Beautifly forward.

The butterfly pokemon twisted around again, its eyes now void of doubt. It spun in a wide arc before tearing through the air toward Roserade.

Drew shook his head, sensing a quick victory.

"Let's finish this battle then! Rescue formation!" he called out.

But this time, May was ready.

As Beautifly approached the bouquet pokemon standing motionlessly in front of it, the brown haired coordinator watched carefully, waiting for the last possible second, waiting _just_ before Beautifly reached Roserade…

_Now!_

"Turn and hit Flygon!" May cried. _Please work, please work…_

_"Beauutiifllyyyy!"_

The butterfly pokemon swerved in a sharp, fluid turn, reeling back as soon as Roserade leapt up. Then, in its fast and unavoidable Aerial Ace move, it slammed straight into Flygon, who had just started to rush forward to Roserade's aid.

The mystic pokemon was pushed back by the close range attack, shrieking indignantly as it fell backwards onto the ground. It rose up again only a few seconds later, but the damage had already been done.

Roserade had long realized that there was nothing but empty air under it. Glancing toward the ground, it flailed briefly in the empty space before falling back, wingless, to the platform-

The prepared command shot out of May's mouth only a beat later.

"Silver tornado Beautifly! Now!"

"No! Roserade!" Drew shouted. But his command fell just a second short.

Beautifly raced high into the air, right above Roserade, then started to spin in graceful, fast circles. From its wings, it released a glistening, silver wind, shrieking as it suddenly formed into a vortex of sheer energy.

Inside the vortex, Roserade was immobile, unable to fight back or to even shield itself. It could only thrash helplessly, caught in the webs of the sparkling attack that sent shimmers into the audience, filling the air with a million sparkles that gleamed, almost incandescent, in the sunlight.

"Oh wow!" Lillian announced excitedly. "What a beautiful and ingenious attack!" The audience murmured in agreement, and Ash felt a warm burst of pride and hope.

_(May can still win this…!)_

Drew's expression was still shocked, but he wasn't ready to give up.

"No! Flygon, quick, use your Steel Wing attack!"

The mystic pokemon screeched and dove toward Beautifly, gaining speed and momentum as it rushed forward from its place in the sky.

"Quick! Turn and use a full on Tackle attack Beautifly!" May screamed.

The butterfly pokemon stopped spinning, immediately changing direction and rushing forward, slamming head on into Flygon. The two pokemon were forced back on impact, landing in front of their respective trainers.

_DING!_

"And our time is UP!" Lillian cried out. "What an amazing battle we just saw on the first stage; both of our coordinators and their pokemon fought so hard! Now, who is our victor?"

Drew and May both turned toward the scoreboard, straining to see the results. Their points looked virtually alike. Anxiously, Drew turned slightly to glance at his pokemon. Flygon was struggling to get up while Roserade was not moving at all.

_No, May couldn't have won…_

His eyes flashed back to the screen, this time squinting to see the exact score.

He was…he was…

_(No!)_

…one point short.

"…And it looks like our winner is May!" Lillian shouted.

There was a small fraction of silence, and then the audience burst into cheers. Ash, Brock, and Dawn all leapt to their feet, the clapping around them so loud that it was earsplitting.

But none of them could care less. May's eyes were still locked on the board.

And then, as the sound of cheers registered in her ears, enthusiasm burst through her body so fast that it left her dizzy.

"Beautifly! We won! We won!"

She rushed toward her pokemon and threw her arms around it, hugging it to her chest. She then reached into her pack and took out Venusaur's pokeball, kissing it, whispering, "We won! Thank you so much; I can't believe it! We _won!_"

Tears started to stream from her blue eyes, falling like rain, all the anxiety and happiness rushing around her in impenetrable waves, creating silly tracks on her skin-

_Wait, what about Drew?_

Her head snapped up at her conscience's voice, remembering. Her rival, her friend. Uncertainly, teary blue eyes flickered across the stage toward him.

The green haired coordinator had just returned both of his pokemon and was putting the two pokeballs into his pockets. He looked up and caught May's gaze, giving her a small, sad smile. Then, quickly, he turned and strode from the stage.

May's expression fell the tiniest bit. Sudden guilt overtook her thoughts, though she wasn't too sure why.

However, upon hearing the cheers still echoing through the stadium, the thought quickly slipped her mind.

_(I just knew you could do it…!)_

* * *

_Oh…where is he?_

May ambled slowly through the crowded lobby, searching for a certain green haired coordinator. He had long disappeared after losing the battle, leaving without having talked to anyone, seeing anyone.

The brown haired coordinator sighed, still wandering aimlessly through the room. Solidad's battle round against her opponent Kiri had just ended, the red haired coordinator having triumphed by barely two points. A brief intermission had been called after that, giving time to the two finalists to heal and replenish their pokemon teams.

_(just me and Solidad again. Battling for the finish, the Ribbon Cup-)_

That was a while ago. The final round should be starting soon at this point. The thought itself was enough to make May shiver.

_The finals. I can't believe I really made it…_

May shook her head, smiling to herself. She was still a little awed at winning the semi-finals, the thought filling her mind with a cloudy, idyllic haze. Perhaps reality hadn't fully sunk in yet.

But, even so, she couldn't help but acknowledge the small, nagging doubt in the back of her head, questioning her progress so far. Perhaps she had beaten Drew, but it was only by one point. How could she possibly hope to beat Solidad then…?

May shook her head, not wanting to face the anxiety, not when she was still surrounded by the candied bliss of her previous win. To distract herself, she looked around again for Drew.

_Why am I doing this again?_

She gave an impatient sigh. Though she would have rather gone to see Ash, Brock and Dawn before the final round, they had stayed behind to watch Solidad and Kiri's battle, and she wasn't quite sure where they had wandered off to during the intermission.

And, not to mention that she still felt guilty for beating Drew. Not that it was rational in any way, but she felt as though Drew had deserved to win more than she did. After all, he had been in contests longer than she had and…

May blinked in surprise as she suddenly found herself standing outside, having walked, unaware, through the automatic doors and out into the courtyard. The sun was just setting, dipping into the golden light that edged the forested mountains in the distance.

A few benches were scattered near the trees lining the walkway, casting their shadows across the field. May was surprised to see a figure sitting in one of them, his head in his hands. The surprise quickly drained away though as she realized who it was.

Drew.

* * *

_I've got to tell her...I can't stand it anymore..._

Ash looked around, still searching for May. He had wanted to confront her as soon as her battle had ended, _to congratulate her and hold her and tell him how proud he was of her-!_ but Dawn and Brock had wanted to watch Solidad's battle, leaving him no choice but to stay with them. He hadn't been able to focus through it though, constantly on edge and alternating between holding his ribbon half and brushing a hand across his chest, his heart just as impatient as he.

"Hm, that's strange, she's not here," Brock commented lightly. He sat down on one of the vacant benches, taking out some pokemon food and holding it out for Pikachu and Piplup. The two pokemon rushed toward the small bowl, hungry from so much cheering.

Dawn sat down next to him, watching Piplup eat.

"Well, maybe she went for a breath of fresh air or something. The final round is almost about to start; she probably wanted to rest before it or something."

Ash nodded, though his attention wasn't entirely there. Still searching.

"Ash, seriously, you haven't sat still since Solidad's battle began. You know, we can always meet up with May later…" Brock commented to his long-time friend, a bit confused as to why the black haired boy was acting so insistent.

Ash bit back a retort, not turning around to face his spiky haired companion, but just shook his head mutely. Couldn't Brock understand, that this _couldn't_ wait until later, that he _had_ to see May _now-?_

"You guys can stay here…I'm going to look for her…I need to…tell her…something…"

His voice trailed off, and he swiftly walked away, not waiting to hear what his friends were saying. Slowly, he wandered his way through the crowd, craning his neck to see over the heads of the people conversing in small groups scattered in the room, searching, searching for that smile, and those blue _blue eyes-_

He wasn't so sure where the sudden urge had come from, why it was suddenly so _important_ for him to see her. But, after watching May fight in that last battle against _Drew_, after feeling the indescribable pride once again filling his body, his heart had smoldered, snapped from the restraint he had been holding onto all this time, breaking free of all doubts and hesitations, consequences be _damned_.

He needed to let her know what he was feeling. He didn't care that he still couldn't understand, couldn't quite explain it - the pain and desire and _need_ crooning in his blood. But he had come to at least one _clear _course of action - he had to see her, had to know if she understood what he was feeling, because _his heart just couldn't handle it anymore-!_

Ash shook his head, reaching a hand to his chest and letting out a breathless laugh. He could feel that his face was flushed - he wasn't sure exactly _why_, but-

_(it frustrated him, that he still could not place a name for the emotion he felt towards her, that strong, strong emotion of jealousy and pain and desire and need, the warmth that extended from his heart when she smiled her lovely smile, or her beautiful laugh-)_

He sighed, as if cleansing himself. The last few days had put him through a lot. There were just too many emotions to sort, and he was too overwhelmed to even _begin_ to identify them-

But, everything started with a single step, Ash decided. A single motion, a single gesture.

He needed to talk to her.

The sound of various conversations gradually quieted as Ash finally decided to walk out of the lobby, entering the courtyard outside. Perhaps May _had_ stepped out for a quiet moment alone-

The black haired boy squinted slightly, lifting his hand to shield his eyes from the golden light suffusing through the trees. There was a warm wind blowing through the clearing now, ruffling the grasses that edged the cobblestone walkway, littered with stone benches.

He dropped his hand, eyes having adjusted, stepping out further and letting his gaze skim past the earth, still searching…for…for-

His heart halted in his chest.

* * *

Drew still hadn't lifted his head as May walked towards him, her steps carefully measured. Reaching him, she lightly placed herself on the other side of his bench, not talking, not expecting anything. Drew's Flygon, who was standing next to its trainer, gave a slight noise of surprise as she approached.

The green haired coordinator lifted his head at that, his eyes a little glassy, then quickly straightened up when he realized he wasn't alone.

"May? What are you doing here? What is it?" he asked, clearing his throat. His voice was a little stiff, but not entirely impolite.

May cast her eyes toward the ground, an embarrassed blush scattered across her cheeks.

"You know why I'm here," she said simply. The guilt was there again.

Drew just gave her a weird look, shaking his head.

"I'm not upset, if that's what you're getting at. Congratulations on winning by the way. I have to say you had a lot better combinations then last year." A small smirk appeared on his face, though he seemed genuinely happy for her.

May smiled as she saw some of his characteristic behavior coming back.

"Well, just know that you are still a much better coordinator than I am. You'll win the next Grand Festival no problem."

Drew snorted.

"Yeah, thanks for your encouragement. But you're just saying that to placate me." His tone dripped sarcasm, a little cynical.

May rolled her eyes, slightly affronted.

"Hey, I'm trying to cheer you up here. Just, don't be upset. I can feel that you are."

Drew smiled slightly at that.

"Yeah, ok. Thanks."

They went silent then, looking out toward the many wildflowers sprinkling the field across from them. May felt the discerning need to say something more, to help ease her friend's depression, but no words came.

She shifted uncomfortably. The silence was getting awkward.

"Hey, May?" Drew suddenly looked up, his demeanor entirely altered. He turned towards her, a strange expression creasing his forehead.

The brown haired coordinator was a little taken aback at the sudden change in his tone.

"Yeah? W-what is it Drew?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

_I don't like where this is going…_

In the distance, May suddenly heard the sound of an automatic door opening and closing. But her whole body had locked into place, betraying her, and she couldn't even make herself turn around to see who it was.

Drew stared straight into her face, his green eyes piercing.

She couldn't breathe.

Only a second later, Drew leaned forward and kissed her.

* * *

**...I'll just leave it at that. Don't worry, the story is still Advanceshipping. I promise :)**

**Anyway, on a brighter note, I've just recently written a new fanfic for the holidays, called _Reasons Behind a Gift_. Still Advanceshipping, though it's a oneshot this time :) If you guys would like to, I would be delighted if you went to check it out!**

**Hope you guys are having a lovely day and thanks for reading! I shall see you all in the next chapter!**

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


	9. Chapter 9

***peeks in shyly* ...hey everyone ^^"**

***dodges random tomato***

**I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN 6 MONTHS - YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMIND ME!**

**I do want to sincerely apologize - I realize that it has been a long time since I uploaded, but it wasn't because I didn't want to...I want this fanfic finished just as much as you guys do...but I was so incredibly busy, and I mean it when I say that. But, even though I did take so infuriatingly long to upload, you have all been so loyal in your reviews and constant understanding - all I can say is **_**Thank You**_**. Really. I don't deserve such wonderful readers. And yet, you are all still reading this fanfic. So thank you - a million times thank you. I would be no where without you guys. :)**

**So, anyway, a little about this chapter:**

**This was a very emotional chapter to write - the kind of chapter where you need to listen to depressing/inspirational music for hours just to get into the mood. And then watch many Pokemon episodes to make sure you had all the characters reacting the right way. So, if you find that my "emotion" in this chapter is too bland or anything, please tell me so I can fix it for the better!**

**One more small thing: I have changed the time of this story to be **_**after**_** Dawn's Sinnoh Grand Festival, as the anime has already progressed to that point. I did that just to keep everything realistic and 'canon' ;)**

**All right, enough of my talking - read the story my dear readers!**

**Disclaimer: Wished I owned Pokemon. But sadly, I don't.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

It took May a full second to suddenly realize what was happening.

But, even then, she couldn't seem to firmly grasp her senses; shock had frozen everything around her, her sight, her feelings. Drew's lips felt foreign and wrong against her own, but she could only sit there, eyes wide with alarm, while her mind screamed unanswerable questions to her unresponsive lips.

It felt like hours before Drew pulled away. As he did, May noticed that his eyes had grown cold, like two hard stones. His expression betrayed no emotion, as if nothing had even happened.

As soon as he released her, May suddenly felt her senses returning. But that was quickly overshadowed by the icy grip of realization, of panic.

_No, that didn't happen, I didn't want –_

"Drew…no…I can't…" She couldn't even form coherent sentences. Her lips felt stiff, tingling with unease.

But the green haired coordinator quickly stood up, his palm held out as if to silence her. He climbed onto his Flygon's back, who had been silent throughout the whole exchange.

"We'll talk again," he said simply, his green eyes strangely vacant. Then he turned away, calmly signaling to his Flygon. The mystic pokemon screeched once before flapping its wings and soaring away.

Still numb, May watched Drew and Flygon slowly disappear into the golden light. But her eyes were glassy, unseeing. A strange sense of trepidation bubbled in her chest, unease laced with guilt.

May wasn't sure exactly how any of her other senses could possibly still function at this point, but she suddenly felt the presence of _someone_else behind her, a pair of eyes watching her frozen stature. Nervously, the brown haired coordinator turned around, feeling oddly afraid as she noticed a shadow etched in the vacant cobblestone walkway, reaching out toward the trees and confirming her sense.

A person was standing in front of the doors of the Festival Stage.

Far too still.

It took May only another fraction of a second to realize who it was.

Ash.

The instinctive delight that shot through her system was quickly erased a second later by fear.

He was standing in a strangely stiff, formal position, his arms hanging loosely at his sides and his hands clenched into fists. He had his back to the sun, the light glancing off his silhouette and leaving his face in a shadow.

But May could still see the emotions flashing across his face.

Confusion. Astonishment. Embarrassment. Uncertainty. Betrayal.

Pain.

The last expression stayed, wavering for a concise moment before crumpling his entire face. May flinched back, stunned at the raw emotion bolded in his eyes.

"Ash…?"

Her voice came out as a pleading whisper, far too weak, easily masked by the sudden loud beating of her heart.

_No…he couldn't have seen…he couldn't…_

Ash didn't move, his face still frozen in the same expression, watching her.

May quickly cleared her throat, reaching out towards him and taking a hesitant step forward.

"Please, just let me explain…"

Another step. Ash still didn't move, still didn't speak.

She reached his side. He was still staring at her, but his hurt gaze seemed to look _through_her. May swallowed and, ever so gently, touched his arm.

"Ash...?"

As she said his name a second time, his eyes suddenly changed, anguish twisting across his face. He cringed away from her touch, and his eyes, a golden tawny color in the sun, going flat dark.

It looked almost like resentment.

"Don't. Touch. Me," he hoarsely spit through his teeth.

His voice was pure venom. May flinched away quickly, withdrawing her hand, feeling as though Ash had just slapped her. It hurt worse than if he had.

(She had never seen that look, so purely..._hateful_...on his face. Never.)

And certainly, _never_ directed at _her_.

His body now turned away, May could only see a sliver of his face, and saw that his lips suddenly moved, like he was whispering something. She wasn't sure exactly what he said, but she could have sworn it was her name.

_"May…"_

Their eyes locked. Hers were filled with tears.

His were filled with distrust.

Then, fully turning away from her, he made an odd, choking noise in his throat and _ran away._

May felt her heart plunge like a stone toward her feet.

"Wait! Ash, don't go…!"

But he didn't even turn back to look at her. He was sprinting toward the city on the opposite end of the road, away from the Festival stage and away from her.

"…please…"

May felt her own voice dying in her throat. Her hand was outstretched in front of her, but there was no one to see it, no one to receive it. She held it there for a brief moment more, as if still waiting, waiting for him to come back…

But he didn't.

_No…he misunderstood…I have to follow him, to explain…_

Her blue eyes flashed, and she began to run after him.

However, she wasn't even halfway down the path before a loud announcement from the Festival intercom stopped her in her tracks.

"Would the last two coordinators, Solidad and May, please report to the Stage? This is the final call before the last round of the Grand Festival. Please report to the Stage with your pokemon immediately."

_No…not now…_

_(no no no no no…)_

With her foot placed on the edge of the cobblestone path that met the grass, May felt a dizzying rush of indecision. Her eyes glanced from the bright red stage to the silhouette of the city nearby, the two conflicting pulls dragging her in different directions with the same painful force.

Torn.

_The Festival…_

_But Ash…_

_"Don't. Touch. Me-!"_

May's eyes, bright just a second ago with resolve, suddenly went dull.

The hostility that had been in his gaze still burned.

_(priority-!)_

She stepped back slowly, back onto the cobblestone path, and hung her head, a shadow passing over her eyes.

_I'm…sorry…_

Turning toward the stage, she quickly retreated back into the building through the double doors without once looking back.

_(…Ash…)_

* * *

"May? Is that you? Are you all right?"

The sound of her name rang a dim bell in her head. The brown haired coordinator looked up, sifting through her thoughts to try and bring up a smile for whoever was talking to her.

At first, her eyes were half blind, having not adjusted from the sunlit courtyard outside to the fluorescent glow of the Festival lobby. The room was still crowded, voices of the coordinators who were excitedly discussing the final round. Everything was still the same, as if nothing had ever happened.

Strange. Her heart had just been ripped out of her chest and broken into two – yet the world was still moving forward, like normal. Happily even.

"May? Hello? You look kind of pale…is something wrong?"

Her eyes refocused, and she saw Dawn peering at her with uncertainty. Brock was standing behind her, his forehead creased with confusion.

"Is it the finals? Are you worried? May?" Dawn asked hesitantly.

She couldn't hear their voices clearly; all she heard was her name. Repeated over and over, like a broken echo. May squeezed her eyes shut, bringing her hands to her ears to try and block out the sound.

_Stop…please…_

_I can't handle it…_

_"May…"_

(there was suddenly a different voice calling her name, one that she _wanted_to hear-)

One that she would recognize anywhere.

Her eyes opened in spite of herself, looking hopefully towards the door.

No one.

Who had she been expecting anyway?

_"Don't. Touch. Me-!"_

She was suddenly aware that both Dawn and Brock had positioned themselves on either side of her, their hands reached out as if trying to keep her from falling over.

May shook her head slowly as if to clear it, trying to focus.

"Guys, I'm fine, really, don't worry…"

Brock's forehead puckered, clearly unconvinced. May looked away from his gaze, trying hard not to think, to remember.

If she didn't think about it, the wound wouldn't hurt.

Her eyes went to the front of the room, stopping at the screen hanging from the ceiling, the two pictures displayed there clearly recognizable.

The finalists.

The word echoed vacantly inside her head, and the voices around her suddenly blurred into a faint, incoherent drone of sound. She repeated it to herself, waiting for an emotion, for _anything._

_Finalists. Me, Solidad. The last battle._

_Nothing._

It almost frightened her. Why wasn't she able to feel anything?

What had changed?

Brock's frown grew more pronounced at May's continued silence.

"Are you sure you're ok May? Are you feeling ill or something? You can tell us if there's something wrong…"

May blinked in surprise, turning around and trying to recall how to smile.

"No, it's ok Brock…I'm fine…"

Her voice wavered at the end of the sentence.

Dawn bit her lip, worried.

"Well…" Her eyes wandered around the room, looking for some sort of distraction. "…ah! Where is Ash? Have you seen him? He walked out looking for you just a moment ago and he still hasn't come back..."

May froze at the sound of his name.

_Don't think about it and it won't hurt…_

She forced herself to swallow.

_"Don't. Touch. Me-!"_

"Yes, I saw him…ah, he…stepped out, I think," she said quietly, the words feeling strange as they twisted out of her mouth. Her hand unconsciously moved to her heart, as if to keep it from hurting. "…he said that he needed fresh air or something…"

The lie came so easily, as if it were the truth, dripping poisonously off her tongue.

Dawn and Brock shared a confused glance.

"Really? He left? But why would he, when the final round is almost-"

The intercom in the lobby suddenly crackled to life.

"Once again, would Solidad and May please report to the Stage with their pokemon? The final round is about to begin. Thank you."

_The Festival…_

The reason why she was still here.

The reason why she hadn't left.

The reason why she didn't run after him…

May took a deep breath, turning slightly toward Brock and Dawn.

"I…have to go. I need to get ready…"

She could tell from their expressions that they were still concerned, their eyes futilely trying to ask her what was wrong.

But she was already too far gone to notice.

Mechanically, she gave both Dawn and Brock a small wave before exiting the room.

_Ash…_

_(I wish that I had told you that I…)_

_(…I…)_

Her eyes were stinging again. Carrying the tears from her stupid, _stupid_heart.

Making sure she was alone, that none of her friends had followed, May allowed herself a silent cry, the dry sobs tearing from her throat, no physical tears making their way down her skin.

(but she could still feel them there)

Shakily, she lifted her hand, clutching it into a fist against her chest, her heart.

It felt empty.

* * *

He just kept running. He didn't care where he was going, what he was leaving behind. But he just needed to get away. Away from others, away from the festival, away from the memories…

Away from _her_.

* * *

_This is it. The last battle._

_You need to focus…_

_(But, what if I can't…?)_

"May? Are you doing all right? You look kind of upset…"

Caught off guard, the brown haired coordinator flinched, her eyes darting quickly toward the voice.

Solidad was striding down the hallway toward her, her face set in a confident smile.

"Sorry for scaring you," the older coordinator apologized as she approached. Her expression changed to one of concern and confusion. "Are you doing ok?"

May tried to relax, giving her friend a shaky smile.

"Yeah…I'm fine Solidad…are you…um…ready for the final round?"

Solidad grinned. "Yes, I am, thank you. I hope you are too – you know that I'm going to give it all that I've got," she said lightly.

May smiled weakly, hollowly.

"Yes…let's give the audience a battle they'll never forget."

Solidad laughed and nodded in consent. "Okay, well, I'm going to head out to the stage then. Our battle is about to begin. We'll see who will be the top coordinator this year."

Winking, she then gave May another smile before walking away.

"Yes, we'll see," May whispered after Solidad's retreating figure. She felt a familiar apprehension stirring in the pit of her stomach, causing her hands to shake.

So, the nervousness was back.

Instinctively, her shaking fingers reached toward her neck to grasp the ribbon half hanging there from its golden chain. However, as her fingers closed around it, she suddenly remembered…

He wasn't here.

_"Wait! Ash, don't go…!"_

He wasn't here to cheer her on.

Had she completely broken his trust in her?

Had she really hurt him that much?

_"Don't. Touch. Me-!"_

Her fingers withdrew from the ribbon half, as if it would burn her.

May bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut as if to fight off the silent accusations that came at her, accented by the recent memory that played behind her eyelids, aberrantly real and terrifyingly clear.

_Why didn't you go after him? You could have stopped him! _

_But the Festival…_

_What's more important? _

_You hurt him…_

_Why didn't you stop Drew when he kissed you?_

May recoiled suddenly at the name. She didn't want to think about him, he of all people. His name felt like a poison now, like a lie, bitter with betrayal.

But who was she betraying? Wasn't her heart still hers?

_"Please, Ash, just let me explain…"_

Why had Ash even cared?

_(priority-!)_

She didn't know the answer. And it was possible that she would never find out.

Would he still want to even be her friend? Would he still talk to her? The look of pure distrust his eyes had held when he looked at her was still frozen clearly in her mind. She couldn't bear to lose his friendship. She couldn't.

_"Don't. Touch. Me-!"_

Frustrated, she pressed her fists to her temples.

But why? Why did it hurt just to think about him now? Why did his trust and friendship mean so much to her? Why was it that, when he ran from her, it had hurt _so much_?

Why did he even care?

_I can't lose him…not just because of his friendship, but because I…_

_(love him)_

It didn't make sense. None of it did. Her mind was rambling with endless questions, confused and bewildered and absolutely despondent.

_I needed to leave him…I didn't have a choice…the Festival was…_

_The Festival…_

May's eyes widened. The word suddenly brought remembrance flooding back into her mind, the message glaringly apparent.

She had a battle to fight out there. She had to concentrate on the Festival.

_Now!_

May swallowed. She had to focus. She had a job to do out there – her own feelings could _not_get in the way.

_What's more important?_

Lifting her hands behind her neck, May undid the clasp of her ribbon necklace, gingerly, as if every touch to the golden chain sent pain shooting through her fingers. As she finally undid the catch, she held it, watching the glint of the gold, the blue, the pink, the white-

Her mind began to register only colors, numb and unfeeling. She forced herself to no longer see the memories the ribbon triggered in her mind, blinding herself to the _hope_, the stupid, _empty_ promise of _hope..._

_(If she didn't think about it, the wound wouldn't hurt...)_

_(...and she could pretend that it didn't exist.)_

She could no longer rely on the ribbon to bring her solace. Not anymore.

Because right now, all it brought was pain.

_"Don't. Touch. Me-!"_

And yet, she knew that if she kept the ribbon around her neck, she _wouldn't_ hesitate to reach for it, _wouldn't_ hesitate to search for its constant, familiar support - _even though it was no longer there_ - she would do so, no matter_ how_ much it _hurt-_

It had already become a part of her.

_(My...heart...)_

_What's more important?_

Without further thought, May let go of the necklace, dropping it solidly into her green pack, out of sight, out of reach. As she zipped up the pocket, she then firmly shut all her thoughts away, locking them into a mental box buried in the deep corner of her conscience.

And with it, she shut away the rest of her anguish, her confusion, her pain.

_(No more distractions. No matter how much it hurts.)_

Taking in a deep breath, May smoothed over her face, keeping it impassive, focused.

She could do that. She could remain emotionless. It would help her concentrate. _On the festival._

All she had to do was keep her emotions out of the way.

She could do that. For her friends. For her pokemon.

And, even if he didn't care anymore, she would do it for-

_No!_

_Stop._

_Enough._

_(...Ash.)_

Frozen in her emotionless, perfunctory motions, May calmly took out two pokeballs, knowing exactly which ones they were. Above all else, she at least had to win this for her pokemon.

Her dream was so close, _so close_. She just had to reach out and take it.

Emotions would just have to wait.

_Deal with your feelings later. Right now, you have a Festival to win…_

May lifted her head, dropped her arms to her sides, and promptly strode toward the light, leading her outside toward the Festival stage.

_(Only sacrifice can bring what you truly desire...)_

Sunlight was pooling at the end of the hallway, cutting shards into her eyes, clear and decisive like ice.

_(...and yet...)_

The mental lockbox rattled slightly.

_(...losing him...)_

Her expression faltered the tiniest bit.

_(...is it really worth it...?)_

Because no matter how she would deny it or how she tried to shut it out, the burning question was still there.

He shouldn't have cared. She _hadn't_ betrayed him.

…had she?

* * *

_Stop…_

_No…never…_

_Stop running…_

_…I can't…_

_Stop running and just think things over…_

_NO, I CAN'T…!_

But even though he didn't want to, he found himself listening to his rational mind anyway, allowing it to take over. It wasn't until his feet gradually came to a slow walk that he realized his lungs were burning for air and that there were tears in his eyes.

He hastily wiped them away, berating himself, feeling like a complete idiot. He could sense that the logical part of his conscience still refused to believe what he had saw, choosing instead to lay its trust in that sliver of possibility, _that ludicrous, stupid hope_- hoping that, perhaps, what he had seen hadn't been real…

But who was he kidding? The image was burned behind his eyelids, chasing him, swallowing him. Perhaps, deep down, he had always known this, known that Drew and May would one day be...together.

_Together..._

So, if that was the case, why did he care so much?

Why did it _hurt?_

_He kissed her! And she didn't even pull away!_

_May…loves…Drew…_

Ash buried his face in his hands, angry and hurt and utterly confused. He was certain that, if this had happened two years ago, he wouldn't have cared. Or, if anything, it wouldn't have hurt him like it did now.

Would it?

But, if anything, why did he care _now_? What had changed?

Ash swallowed and shook his head. There were too many new emotions, surfacing all at once, crowding his mind with their nameless regrets - emotions in which he would have never even imagined himself thinking.

_May loves Drew…_

_But why do you care?_

_Why?_

He couldn't handle it. He_ couldn't_. Shoving all the thoughts from his mind, he forcibly massaged his temples, trying to think of something else, _anything_else.

_Where am I anyway?_

That was distracting enough. For the first time since he stopped running, Ash carefully surveyed his surroundings, all the while struggling to keep his emotions under control.

_(her smile, her laughter, just being her-)_

_No! Stop!_

_(…for Drew…)_

_(…and…)_

_Enough!_

_(not for me)_

The sky was darker now, blushing red tints fringing the clouds that hid the setting sun. The muted light glanced off the tall buildings surrounding him, reflecting the quiet city in its glass faces. The sidewalks were almost empty; most of the people had gone to watch the Grand Festival, seeing that the Festival stage was so conveniently close to their city.

Looking behind him, Ash could still see the stage himself, its red-pointed star shape glinting in the sunset, reminding him…

_Enough!_

Taking a deep breath, Ash purposely averted his eyes. He surveyed the empty streets, the quiet shops, looking for anything that could divert his attention.

Ah, there was something. Stopping on the sidewalk, Ash folded his arms and studiously read from a poster hanging on a shop window, becoming incredibly interested in the shape of the words, the colors on the paper. Somewhere in the corner of his mind, his subconscious actually _read_the poster, noting that it was advertising the opening of a new pokemon school.

_We watched tensely at May's first contest battle, cringing as her points began to drop lower each turn._

_"This is bad, she's losing points!" Max said, nervous for his sister._

_Brock nodded. "Yeah, I think she was fooled by that Magical Leaf. She's not used to battling!"_

_I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach, hurting like regret. _

_"It's my fault; I wish I had spent more time with May, teaching her."_

Ash shook his head, surprised and hurt by the memory that the poster had triggered. There was a bittersweet echo to it, lingering in his thoughts, stabbing his heart.

_(That isn't the only thing I regret…I wish that I had told her sooner…what I was feeling…)_

He shook his head again to clear it, deliberately casting his eyes to the ground as he continued to walk deeper into the city.

_(so much for staying distracted)_

_"Pikachu! Come here buddy!" I held out my arms, grateful that Pikachu was fine._

_"Is it doing ok Ash?" I heard a familiar voice behind me, gentle and caring all at once._

_I knew it was May, and my eyes cast toward my feet. _

_"Yeah, thanks," I said, now feeling completely apologetic about our fight before. "You know, you and Skitty were great out there May." My voice was completely truthful, wanting her to understand how much I meant my apology._

_She laughed, a sound like soft wind chimes. "Well what do you know, you finally realized."_

_I nodded, eyes still on the ground. _

_"I know, I should have trusted you and Skitty before. That tag battle with Oscar and Andi would have gone a whole lot better."_

_My cheeks warmed slightly, and I turned to face her. "I guess, I was just acting like a big, dumb show-off, I'm sorry." _

_My eyes met hers, and I gave her a small, hopeful smile, _

_She smiled back, her blue eyes lit up with forgiveness. _

_"You know, I was doing the exact same thing that you were. I was thinking about myself, instead of us as a team. Friends again?"_

_My voice went thick, so touched that the only thing I could do was nod in consent._

Ash squeezed his eyes shut in frustration, that one memory tearing through the rest of his control and releasing a flood of memories, drowning him in their wake.

_Please Ash, just let me explain…_

Tormented, he raised his eyes to stare at the golden sky in despair.

_The golden center of the ribbon glinted in the moonlight, and May turned to me for only a brief second, her eyes shining. I returned it with a smile, feeling the invisible bond that held us together._

His hands clenched into fists. There was nothing he could do.

Everything he saw reminded him of her.

* * *

"Welcome back everyone! I'm sure you are all excited for the final round!"

As expected, the crowd went wild at Lillian's announcement, the energy in the stadium so strong that it was almost tangible. May's eyes swept over the audience once, her emotions numb.

_Control._

Across from her, on the other side of the stage, was Solidad. She had one hand balanced on her hip, her mouth curved into a peaceful, relaxed smile.

May couldn't bring herself to smile back. Instead, she focused on the two pokeballs that she gripped in her hands, focusing on the moment, on the imminent battle.

_Control._

"After much anticipation, we have finally arrived at the final round of this year's Johto Grand Festival! Our two finalists are Solidad, from Pewter City, and May from Petalburg City! Let us have a round of applause for these hardworking coordinators!"

The crowd burst into another round of cheers. High up in the stands, Dawn turned worriedly to Brock.

"May was acting really strangely in the waiting room…do you think that is going to affect her battling?" Her eyes swept back toward her friend standing motionless on the stage, the brown haired coordinator's expression void of feeling.

Brock shook his head uncertainly. "It might…I'm worried for her. And what was that about Ash? He wouldn't just run off knowing the final round was about to take place…"

Dawn shrugged. "Maybe, something happened between them. Something bad…?"

Brock frowned. "I'm not sure. But, whatever it is, I'm hoping that May can pull it together in time…"

Down on stage, Lillian held up her hands to quiet the audience. As the sounds of cheers subsided, she pointed toward the large scoreboard.

"Now, let us set the clock to five minutes, and, without further ado, let us see who will be this year's Johto Grand Festival winner! Let this final round begin!"

The timer started at once, faithfully dropping its precious seconds, and Solidad's composed smile widened. Straightening her stance, she promptly threw two pokeballs high into the air.

"Let's go Butterfree and Slowbro! Time to win this!"

In a bright flash, her pokemon appeared gracefully on stage. Solidad then inclined her head slightly, as if taunting forward any challenge about to come her way.

May could feel her emotional control waver the slightest bit.

_No…_

_I have to win this. For my pokemon. For my dream._

_(For him.)_

Taking a deep breath, she too then tossed her own pokeballs high into the sky.

"Now Blaziken and Beautifly! Let's take the stage!"

There was a flash of white light, and both of her pokemon materialized into the scene. With a fierce cry, Blaziken powerfully landed on the stage, flames instantly bursting from its sharp talons. Beautifly then followed suit with the same energy, spreading its wings to allow a glow of rainbow sparkles to shower the field.

In the split second of silence that followed, all May felt was overwhelming pride in seeing her pokemon's unbreakable vitality, brimming over the emotions she kept so tightly locked in her mind. That small second of hope she felt temporarily wiped out any other feeling she had.

_(Pain is inevitable. But it is avoidable.)_

A ghost of a spark of life appeared in her eyes.

_Remain in control._

Without pausing to take a breath, May immediately launched an attack, fighting against her heavy tongue, throwing the battle into action.

"All right, let's do this! Blaziken, use Fire Spin on Butterfree! And Beautifly, Psychic on Slowbro!"

As soon as her command fell from her lips, May's pokemon were already moving. Blaziken leapt high into the air, shooting a swirling jet of flames at Solidad's Butterfree. Beautifly then gracefully spun from under it, releasing a blue beam of energy at Slowbro.

Solidad didn't even react. She just closed her eyes and issued one command. "Dodge that!"

At once, Slowbro and Butterfree were in action. With almost agonizing slowness, the hermit crab pokemon leaned away from Beautifly's Psychic attack, allowing the beam to shoot harmlessly by. Butterfree then dodged Blaziken's Fire Spin with equal accuracy, turning around and suddenly attacking with a surprise Stun Spore attack at May's pokemon.

The brown haired coordinator's eyes widened at Solidad's apparently effortless counterattack. Swiftly, she called out a rapid retaliation.

"Send that Stun Spore back!"

Without need of further explanation, both Beautifly and Blaziken unleashed a combination attack of Gust and Fire Spin. Blaziken's Fire Spin grew in size as a result of Beautifly's Gust, pushing forward and knocking away the Stun Spore while continuing forward at Solidad's pokemon.

Solidad's expression turned to one of concentration.

"Hydro Pump and Confusion combination!"

Both Slowbro and Butterfree nodded, rearing back and releasing their own combination attack. As Slowbro shot a jet of water at the flames coming toward them, Butterfree then captured the water in a casing of purple light, forcing it ahead with faster speed. The two attacks collided in the center of the stage, creating an explosion that bloomed into a dark plume of smoke.

"Wow, would everyone just look at that power! Only a few seconds into the final round, and we can already see that these two coordinators are going to fight for that Ribbon Cup until the last possible second!" Lillian announced toward the crowd. On the scoreboard, both Solidad and May lost the same amount of points.

May gritted her teeth, trying to see through the smoke. She could feel a faint tugging of unease as her nervousness started seeping through her control.

She wouldn't allow it. Quickly, she called out another attack.

"Blow that smoke away with Silver Wind Beautifly! And Blaziken, use Fire Spin as soon as the smoke clears!"

The blaze pokemon nodded, leaping forward and striking a battle stance, its eyes trained toward the center of the dark stage. Beautifly then twisted around, furiously beating its wings to create a powdery wind that blew away the smoke.

As soon as the battlefield cleared, May could see Solidad's pokemon already running forward. She heard the command almost a second later.

"Use Water Gun on Blaziken, Slowbro! And then use Sleep Powder on Beautifly, Butterfree!"

"No!" May screamed, but it was already too late.

Slowbro unleashed a powerful jet of water toward Blaziken, easily washing past the blaze pokemon's Fire Spin in an attempt to counterattack. Butterfree then shot forward from the clearing smoke, hitting Beautifly with its Sleep Powder.

"Blaziken, Beautifly!" May cried out. The blaze pokemon had tried to twist away at the last second, avoiding a direct hit but getting washed away by Slowbro's Water Gun, a super effective attack. Beautifly had not been able to dodge Butterfree's attack at all, instead becoming showered in the dangerous powder and then collapsing to the ground, asleep.

"Oh no! It looks like Solidad is just too full of surprises! Can May turn this around to her advantage?" Lillian asked aloud, turning toward the scoreboard. May's points had plunged a great amount.

"Beautifly, please, wake up!" May cried to her pokemon. She knew that, if Beautifly didn't wake up fast, it would be eliminated from the round. She had to do something and quick.

Her grip on emotional control faltered dangerously.

"No! I'm not finished yet!" May cried out icily. "Quick Blaziken, use Sky Uppercut on Beautifly, then go into a Blaze Kick!"

Years of training and experience had instilled complete trust for May in Blaziken, causing it to not even blink at her command. With a fierce cry, the blaze pokemon spun and hit Beautifly with its glowing fist, throwing the butterfly pokemon high into the air. Then, twisting around with incredible agility, it leapt forward toward Solidad's pokemon in a powerful Blaze Kick attack.

Blaziken's Sky Uppercut instantly woke up Beautifly, who immediately shook itself awake before launching into the fray once more. May let out an inaudible sigh of relief.

"All right Beautifly! Silver Wind into Psychic on Slowbro! And Blaziken, continue with that full powered Blaze Kick on Butterfree!"

The attack happened so swiftly that it was impossible to avoid. Briskly shaking the last bit of sleep off its wings, Beautifly dove toward Slowbro, unleashing a flawless Psychic-powered Silver Wind toward the hermit crab pokemon. Blaziken then followed close behind, twisting around and slamming into Butterfree with a crushing Blaze Kick. Both of Solidad's pokemon fell backward from the force of the attack, causing Solidad's points to plummet drastically.

"And it looks like a very narrow save on May's part! She was able to wake her Beautifly before it was eliminated from the battle! Looks like its Solidad turn to try and bring this battle around!" Lillian proclaimed enthusiastically to the audience.

May felt the beginnings of a victorious smile on her lips, and she let it stay there, momentary confidence raising her voice.

"Great job you two! Now, Blaziken, use Sky Uppercut to directly hit Slowbro! And Beautifly, attack Butterfree with Gust!"

"No! Don't let those attacks get near you! Slowbro, use Water Gun to douse Blaziken! And Butterfree, dodge using Whirlwind!"

Both teams raced towards each other simultaneously once again, clashing as their coordinators' commands had. Lethargic eyes now slightly irked, Slowbro spat water towards Blaziken, but the blaze pokemon was too fast, clearing the jets of water as if they were hurdles, before stopping right in front of the hermit crab pokemon's face. Dodging Blaziken's glowing claws, Slowbro managed to duck away twice more before vengefully spitting water at the blaze pokemon's face. Far too experienced to let such an attack hit though, the fire starter plunged one last Sky Uppercut straight through the water, slamming into Slowbro's face with a weary smirk of its own, pushing both pokemon away from each other in a shower of water droplets.

Meanwhile, above their heads, Beautifly and Butterfree were locked in an aerial dance. The air between them became fast and pressurized as the two butterfly pokemon aimed spells of strong wind from their fluttering wings, their movements becoming increasingly infuriated as neither were able to land a particularly strong hit on the other. Finally, the two bug pokemon released powerful bursts at the same time, the gusts colliding head-on, forcing both pokemon apart as they reeled through the air, catching their breath.

But, in spite of it all, Solidad suddenly seemed eerily calm. Without even waiting for her pokemon to recover, she shouted out, "Enough of this nonsense! Use your Psychic Combination, now!"

A sudden shot of both nervousness and adrenaline caused May's body to freeze like ice.

As soon as Solidad had called out the attack, both Slowbro and Butterfree were on their feet again, regrouping into one and rapidly carrying through on their combination attack. With slow, fluid movements, Slowbro raised its glowing hands, causing both Blaziken and Beautifly to become suspended, helpless, in the air. Then, Butterfree rushed in and shot its own beam of Psychic, racing toward May's pokemon with astonishing speed.

"No! Fight it!" May shouted, all traces of confidence vanishing from her system. Both of her pokemon struggled, trying to break free of Slowbro's Psychic grip, but to no avail. Butterfree's separate Psychic attack struck them in a direct hit, causing both pokemon to plunge to the ground.

May didn't even need to look up to know that her points had suffered another blow. Solidad was too quick. She could feel herself shaking, both inside and out.

No. She wasn't going to give up, not when she was so close, _not when she was giving up so much!_ and _definitely_not when her pokemon were trying so hard. Pointing toward Butterfree and Slowbro, she called out another attack, trying to revitalize both herself and her pokemon.

"Hang in there you guys! Beautifly, quick, use Morning Sun! And Blaziken, use Fire Spin into Overheat!"

She was pulling the strings, taking the risk to try and win back some of her confidence. As if thinking in that same frame of mind, Blaziken looked back trustingly at May once before springing lithely into the air. Beautifly twirled out of the way, its wings suddenly glowing with a luminous, healing radiance.

Solidad saw her chance. "Slowbro, use a full powered Headbutt on Beautifly while it's still healing! And Butterfree, use Whirlwind to blow Blaziken away!"

"_Sloowwbroo,_" the hermit crab pokemon drawled, standing up and launching itself at Beautifly. In the same moment, Butterfree quickly flapped its wings to release a strong Whirlwind attack at Blaziken.

May's hands clenched into fists, her eyes cutting tensely from Blaziken to Beautifly, stopping finally at the center of the field, where there was nothing but empty space.

She made her next decision without even thinking it through.

"Blaziken, aim your attack at the middle of the stage!"

The blaze pokemon got the message immediately, spinning around with incredible agility and, as Butterfree aimed its Whirlwind attack, Blaziken fired its Overheat and Fire Spin combination at the ground.

There was an explosion of flames on the stage, burning white hot as they fanned out from the center of the inferno. They twisted into the air in waves, supple like water, hitting everything in its path. Butterfree's Whirlwind attack narrowly missed Blaziken and struck the fire instead, causing the flames to reel backward, viciously knocking both Slowbro and Butterfree to the ground.

"Now Blaziken, Sky Uppercut!" May shouted over the flames.

The blaze pokemon spun, leaping up with its powerful legs straight into the fire. It raised its glowing claws and struck the wall of flames, disintegrating it into nothing but hot cinders, allowing Beautifly to finish off its Morning Sun without any damage at all.

"Blaziken! That was amazing!" May cried, her eyes turning to the scoreboard. Her points were slightly more than Solidad's now. The beginnings of a smile flickered on her face.

_Perhaps, this year, I really do have a chance to win…_

But, no sooner had the thought crossed her mind, Solidad was already in action again.

It was as if the last attack hadn't even fazed Solidad. Looking up with her ever-present calm eyes, she suddenly called out, "Get up you two, and use your Hydro-Wind combination!"

Before May could even react, both Slowbro and Butterfree had jumped back up. The hermit crab pokemon quickly shot a powerful stream of water into the air as Butterfree flew straight up to the top and added its own strong gust of Silver Wind. The swirling water merged into one with the silvery powder and then immediately surged toward Blaziken and Beautifly.

"Dodge that!" May screeched, her eyes wide. Both Beautifly and Blaziken dove away at the same second, but the water was faster. It slammed into both pokemon with shocking force, sweeping them to the ground.

"No!"

May stumbled forward in despair, her cries strangled in her throat. Blaziken and Beautifly were both sprawled on the ground, struggling to get up. Her eyes flashed toward the scoreboard, not really seeing the time or the points.

It seemed that, every time she thought she had a chance to win, Solidad would just attack with another combination that always brought her back down. Hopelessness and insecurity, stronger than she would have ever imagined, flooded through her senses.

_(I…don't believe…anymore-!)_

And with it, her control shattered completely.

_(what's wrong May? Time whispered teasingly, stretching out its hands before quickly slipping away, shattering like the force of a broken mirror, and her reflection smiled, sickly sweet-)_

All her emotions, every question, all the pain and confusion she had locked away suddenly broke through, overflowing her concentration and her focus, becoming the only thing she could see.

_"Please, Ash, just let me explain…"_

_What's more important? _

_"May, you look kind of pale…is something wrong?"_

_"Drew…no…I can't…"_

_Priority comes first-!_

_No, that didn't happen, I didn't want –_

_"Wait! Ash, don't go…!"_

Why? Why did he care? Why did it hurt?

_Why did her stupid heart have to fall in love-?_

_(What's happening to me?)_

Seeing May's apparently broken concentration, Solidad hesitated, but then quickly gathered her wits again, opening her mouth to issue an attack, hoping to end the battle once and for all.

"Let's finish this you guys! Butterfree, use Silver Wind! And Slowbro, you use Psychic!"

At Solidad's voice, both Butterfree and Slowbro simultaneously unleashed their attacks at full power, obediently as always, forcing the beam of energy to tear violently across the stage, straight toward May's pokemon.

Beautifly and Blaziken stood up wearily, eyes glittering with fear. They turned, alarmed, at their trainer, waiting for a command.

May looked up at the same second, her eyes meeting her pokemon's.

_What's more important?_

_Why did he care?_

_The Festival…_

_For my dream…for my pokemon-_

Control won for a brief moment, and May found her tongue, her voice ringing above the commotion.

"No! Blaziken, jump and use Sky Uppercut into Fire Spin! Beautifly, combine that with Aerial Ace into Psychic!"

At once, both Blaziken and Beautifly smiled with relief, jumping away at the last second as Slowbro and Butterfree's attacks tore past them. Blaziken then spun high into the air, as if with renewed energy, its glowing claw slashing forward at Slowbro. As the hermit crab pokemon fell to the ground upon impact, Blaziken spat a torrent of swirling flames from its mouth toward Butterfree. With supple grace, Beautifly then shot through the flames with its Aerial Ace, finally slamming into Butterfree with its Psychic in a burst of embers and sparkles.

"What a comeback! We are approaching the 3 minute mark - it is hard to know who our victor will be; both coordinators aren't giving an inch!" Lillian declared breathlessly into the microphone. On the screen above her, both Solidad and May's points looked to be virtually alike.

"Impressive May," Solidad said coolly, her voice adopting a mocking edge that had never been there before. "Seems like you took your head out of the clouds long enough to actually dodge that. Or did Drew just teach you some new method of contest battling?"

Before she could retort, the mention of Drew's name registered in her mind.

May's fragile concentration shook unsteadily.

_Why didn't you stop Drew when he kissed you?_

_You should have seen it coming since the beginning!_

It was true. She should have seen it coming.

But, even if she did, what could she have done?

In a matter of seconds, May saw all the memories she had of Drew, flickering before her eyes. The contests, their rivalry, and then the roses…

The roses. She had known all along that the roses meant something, known that Drew felt something more than what he showed on the outside. At one point, she had even asked herself about him, _almost considered being with him_. But the feeling had never lasted - it had never been strong enough to last more than a day, no longer than the short life of the roses he threw at her.

_(roses could be so overrated, she thought. How could she fall for him, when there was something else that meant so much more to her…)_

Their broken, blood-red petals never really did sustain any true emotion. They were always overshadowed by someone else.

Someone else who had a more important place in her heart.

The kiss replayed in her mind like a painful echo.

_No._

She didn't love Drew.

_She didn't._

_She couldn't._

Her heart already belonged to someone else.

"Use Water Gun into Confusion, Slowbro! And Butterfree, finish it with Stun Spore into Whirlwind!"

_(What...?)_

May was suddenly jerked back into reality by Solidad's voice, pulling her from gloss of her realizations and back to earth.

But, when she finally did realize what was happening, it was already too late.

* * *

_May loves Drew…_

_May loves Drew…_

_May loves Drew…_

The sentence repeated itself over and over in Ash's head, accenting ever step he took as he continued to walk into the quiet city. From behind him, he could faintly hear the sounds of the battle happening in the Grand Festival Stage, as if trying to lure him to go back.

_The final round…_

_I should be there, cheering for May…_

The sound of her name in his mind made him cringe. Either from guilt or betrayal or…_whatever_the emotion was that he felt about her, it didn't matter.

(he _did_want to go back)

Could he even bring himself to do that? He wasn't sure how to face her, now that his feelings were even more confusing than before. He didn't even know what to say, what to think, what to feel. And what if she started talking about Drew? Would he be able to bite his tongue and try to look as if it didn't bother him?

But, then again…

_May is my friend. No matter who she's with or who she loves – I want to be there for her. Even if it's just as a friend. What if she needs my support?_

He scoffed. Who was he kidding? She didn't need him. She had Dawn and Brock and _Drew_…

…right?

His mind wouldn't settle.

Did it really matter that much to him? The shock of seeing them kiss had erased the rest of his feelings, making him numb inside. And yet, he still didn't understand why he felt like that.

_Why does it hurt?_

_Why does it matter?_

Ash buried his face in his hands, as if trying to hide from his own berating questions. He suddenly saw the kiss in his head again, and then a voice-

_"Wait! Ash, don't go…!"_

_May…I'm sorry…_

_"Ash, don't give up, Ash, be strong! I know you can do it, I know!"_

Ash looked up suddenly. The memory that had flickered through his mind a second ago both surprised and unsettled him.

He could still remember it clearly – how could he forget? It was as if his surroundings suddenly changed, turning an incandescent blue, and the sound of water…

_The Sea Temple…_

_Luvdiscs…_

_(May…her voice…saved me…)_

Why was he thinking about it in the first place?

_"Ash, don't give up, Ash, be strong!"_

She could very well have been talking to him right now. Never give up, even when things looked bleak.

The sound of May's laughter flashed through his mind.

Ash looked back at the Grand Festival Stage once more – this time, not turning away immediately.

_"I know you can do it, I know!"_

_(May...)_

_Do...I...?_

Ash felt his forehead pucker, thoughts, voices, words-

_Why does it hurt?_

_Why does it matter?_

_Why do you suddenly care?_

_May...loves...Drew..._

There was a sudden intake of breath - _his own_ - as a startling, _bright_ epiphany spilled from his _heart_, absolutely _impossible-_

_(The jealousy. The pain. The hurt. The heat and laughter when our eyes meet. The warmth I feel...)_

It was all coming together, impossibly fast, almost as if there was no time left-

_(Too fast, he wasn't even sure it was all true...)_

_But..._

_Do I...?_

He sucked in an unsteady breath, testing the words.

_...love May?_

_(…)_

_(yes)_

Before he could make sense of the revelation though, before he could even begin to comprehend the _(the incredible, impossible revelation)_, the answering voice that had sounded from his _heart_, he was yanked away by a sound, hearing the noise of _something_that had fallen to the ground. It made a small, chiming noise as it did, glittering to the cobblestone road.

Tearing his eyes away from the stage, Ash looked down.

His ribbon half.

At that same moment, Ash noticed that his hands were in his pockets. The ribbon half must have fallen out when he put them there.

Gently, carefully, he reached down to pick up the ribbon, watching the golden center glint in the light of the sunset.

Perhaps seeing the ribbon half helped him regain his senses. Whatever it was, he suddenly felt that there was something in his other pocket too. Ash quickly fished it out, holding it on his palm.

It was a dried up rose petal.

He suddenly remembered; it was the petal that came from Drew's rose – the one he had picked up only a day ago. The one that May was supposed to take but had dropped by accident.

Holding the blackened rose petal in one hand and the ribbon half in the other, it seemed as though the final puzzle piece clicked solidly in his head.

There were two paths in front of him. Both unclear, both uncertain. And yet, both would lead him in entirely different ways.

Which one would he choose?

* * *

**He figured it out! Ash finally figured it out! Slower than May, but he got there! :) Love love love...**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed it! As always, I hope you are all doing well, and I promise that I will try to hurry up with the next update. The fanfic is coming to a close - both exciting and bittersweet, don't you think?**

**Oh, if anyone was wondering which two episodes Ash's memories were from, they were:**

**1) Win, Lose, Drew**

**2) Bicker the Better**

**Just in case any of you were curious ;)**

**Oh yes, and, not sure if any of you noticed, but near the end there, I incorporated the famous saying: 'Roses die. Ribbons last forever." ;p**

**Anyway, review, review, review! All reviews are the highlight of my day, no matter how long or short :)**

**Thank you so much for your support again guys! I mean it :)**

**Until the next chapter!**

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


	10. Chapter 10

**Ah...so, hello everyone :) *sheepish, ashamed, COMPLETELY APOLOGETIC smile***

**...**

**Okay, I will not detract you all from the story any longer than I already have - all explanations for my...unexpected _hiatus _and otherwise will be located at the end of this chapter. I do fear that my ridiculous irresponsibility and lack of...activity in the past year has caused many of you to give up on this story. And, if you have, I would not blame you, for I am more ashamed than I could ever say. But, I do want all of you to know, that I am _so, __so __sorry_ - and I thank you, a hundred times over, for have supported my story, and I wish that one day, you will come back and finish it for your own fulfillment :) **

**But, to the rest of you, who _have _stuck with me, who _have_been waiting for god-knows-how long..._thank __you. __Thank __you, __thank __you, __thank __you_. I don't know what I did to have deserved the wonderful, amazing, _glorious _readers that I have...I want you to know that, when I did finally pick this story up again, just a few weeks ago, after my long hiatus, I was thinking of all of _you__-_and that alone gave me the willpower to finish, to continue on.**

**Anyway, I'll stop talking. I'll explain _everything _at the end of this chapter - I wish not to make all of you wait any longer for this, my dear, _dear _readers.**

**One last thing though, before you start:**

**I've missed you all, so _so _much. :)**

**Disclaimer: Didn't own pokemon in the beginning of this fanfic, and still don't.**

**Enjoy everyone! Happy reading!**

* * *

_Too late..._

_I'm too late..._

_I can't be..._

* * *

"Use Water Gun into Confusion Slowbro! And Butterfree, finish it with Stun Spore into Whirlwind!"

_My name is May…_

"...!"

_I come from Hoenn…_

"NO! Blaziken, Beautifly!"

_I am a pokemon coordinator…_

"Don't hold back Slowbro and Butterfree! Full powered attack now!"

_My dream is so close…_

"NO!"

_But…_

"…no…"

_I'm so lost…_

"…I'm…sorry…"

_Please help…_

"Blaziken…Beautifly…get up…"

_I need you…_

"…please…"

_I need…_

It was too much. She couldn't handle it anymore.

_Too late..._

Her knees shook unsteadily.

And then collapsed.

It was too much, the weight of both reality and her emotions too heavy a burden to carry any longer. The audience went quiet, as if in shock, or confusion, or perhaps nothing at all.

Pure silence.

On the other side of the stage, Solidad looked over at her opponent's apparently motionless pokemon, holding her breath.

_So close…_

"No…this…can't be the end…" Dawn whispered to Brock, leaning forward and glancing around the crowd that surrounded them as if looking for reassurance. Her eyes went desperate when she found none, and her glance swiveled to Brock's in a last attempt at support.

Brock didn't meet her eyes, mutely shaking his head. Pikachu, silent until now from anticipation for the battle, stood up rapidly from its place on Ash's empty seat, blinking in disbelief.

Down on stage, Lillian delicately pursed her lips, slowly raising the microphone to her mouth as if not sure what to say.

"…Well, it seems that Solidad's attack really did a lot of damage to May's pokemon! Does this signal the end of the Grand Festival? Or does May still have a chance?"

The question echoed dully in May's head.

_A chance…_

_Just one more chance…_

A chance to continue the battle.

_And a chance to tell him the truth…_

One chance could change everything.

* * *

Ash still wasn't quite sure what it was.

_(it is, it is, it is...!)_

His head was still spinning from his epiphany, fast, way too fast, but by this point, his mind and heart were so exhausted that they threw up their hands in exasperation.

Was it _love_? He couldn't be sure.

"...love...?"

_(yes yes yes!)_

The word sounded strange coming from his lips, foreign on his tongue, because it was.

Never before had he thought of something like this. Never so strongly. Never.

Ash heaved a sigh, turning back toward the contest stage.

(If he hurried back, he might still make it)

_He had to see her again._

Perhaps it was love, perhaps it wasn't. But, frankly, he didn't care anymore.

May was his _friend_. If anything, she was his friend.

_(I need to go back.)_

_But...even so..._

_(I ran away from her. Saw her kiss Drew.)_

_(she already made her choice.)_

He set his foot on the right path, leaving it there, contemplating.

* * *

"_BLAAAAZIKENN!_"

A resounding gasp suddenly broke through the stadium as the silence was shattered from a piercing, splitting cry.

May lifted her head.

_Impossible…_

Blaziken.

_(I-)_

The blaze pokemon had struggled to its feet, its eyes glittering with a fiery determination that May had never seen before. It stepped forward slowly, its burning stare showing no weakness, glowing as if its entire body was alight with fire.

"Blaze...it's been triggered..." May whispered to herself, stumbling back a step as she stood up. Her voice sounded foreign to her own ears, unwilling to accept the hope that suddenly threatened to flood into her senses.

"Wow! Never before have I seen such a display of energy! It looks like May's Blaziken has found the power to trigger its Blaze ability! As most of you know, that means that Blaziken's fire attacks are now doubled in power! Can May use this to pull together some sort of strategy?"

May couldn't even begin to comprehend what Lillian had just announced. Her eyes fixed on Blaziken, she reached out, her voice fragile.

"Blaziken...can you...keep fighting...?" The brown haired coordinator's voice broke, her shining eyes studying the form of her starter pokemon with a hand held in a fist against her heart.

"Blaze. Blaziken." The fire pokemon nodded once, as if able to feel the inner turmoil raging inside of its trainer.

_You were always there for me. So I will always be here for you. Don't lose hope, not yet, not when we're so close..._

"But...I can't..."

_Please...I don't want to hurt you anymore._

May closed her eyes tightly, trying to control the ludicrous tears that ghosted behind her eyelids. As she opened them again, May realized that Blaziken was staring intently at her, its eyes bright and full of unrelenting trust.

_No, we can do this. We can._

_(I know)_

With a sharp intake of breath, May suddenly felt her mind surfacing from the dark pool it had been trapped in, breaking into the crystalline light of consciousness.

_One chance..._

_We still can—_

_(there's still time.)_

"...Unfortunately though, it seems that May's Beautifly has exerted too much energy to continue in the round! With only one weakened pokemon left, can May turn this battle around to her advantage, or will Solidad walk away once more with the Ribbon Cup?"

The screeching of the 'X's' blinking from the judge's panel jerked the rest of May's concentration into reality. Taking her eyes off Blaziken, May suddenly felt her heart tear apart at the sight of Beautifly lying exhausted on the ground, colorful wings splayed like broken stained glass. Rushing to the butterfly pokemon's side, she gathered it in an embrace, cradling it gently in her arms.

"Thank you...Beautifly..."

The flash of red light that followed was conclusive, final. May squeezed her eyes shut as she placed Beautifly's pokeball back into her pack, letting out a broken sigh.

Making a silent promise.

Her pokemon were still willing to give all they got - they _had_ been, from the very first battle - to go past the pain, past the doubt, stubbornly refusing to give up-

And she would do the same.

No matter what inner grief she felt, no matter how much uncertainty lay waiting to drown her ahead, she wasn't going to give up. She couldn't.

This was the last chance she was going to get.

And this time, she wasn't going to let go of it.

"All right Blaziken! Get ready! This battle is only getting started!" May yelled out, her sudden cry tearing the silence that had gathered like a haze in front of her. Flashing her eyes toward her opponent, shining like two ethereal blue flames, she called out an attack combination to sweep them back into battle.

"Fire Spin into Sky Uppercut! Now!"

* * *

_What can I do...?_

His hand tightened around his ribbon half.

The dead rose petal fluttered to the ground.

_(But...)_

_I can't, I can't, I can't...!_

Frowning, he retracted his foot from the path.

_(May.)_

* * *

Before May's command had even settled onto the battlefield, Blaziken had vaulted into the air, its muscles revitalized and enhanced by its Blaze ability. Powerfully agile, it sprung forward toward Slowbro and Butterfree, talons raised high, burning with a brilliant fiery glow. The fire pokemon then shot a spiraling jet of flames from its mouth, following the attack with a strike from its glowing claws, sending the fire flying in an unfolding shower of sparks. Dangerously beautiful and precise, they struck Solidad's pokemon without once missing their mark.

Both surprised and taken aback by May's startlingly precipitous revival, Solidad could only stare as her pokemon recoiled from Blaziken's combination attack, her points faltering as they slipped from their height. However, the older coordinator quickly caught up, calling out a retaliation without missing a beat.

"Use Whirlwind on Blaziken, Butterfree! Then follow with Water Gun, Slowbro!"

Butterfree frowned, as if annoyed that its opponent was still standing, but did as it was told. Shaking the ashes off its body, the butterfly pokemon hurriedly beat its wings, causing a forceful gust to rush forward at May. In the same second, Slowbro rolled onto its feet, spitting a jet of water into the gale after drawling its name.

The attack came in a powerful cascade, streaking across the stage without ever faltering in its strength. Knowing that there was no way to counter or block the attack, May's eyes locked onto the empty space above the jet-straight beam.

"Hurry Blaziken! Jump now!" May commanded without even thinking.

She didn't even need to elaborate further - Blaziken seemed to know exactly what its trainer was thinking. Thundering a powerful battle cry, the blaze pokemon sprung from its strong legs, hurdling itself into the air. In the brief second that it was airborne, the fire starter allowed itself a slight, knowing smile, eyeing the stream of water shooting underneath it. Then, twisting lithely at the waist, Blaziken fell lightly onto the balls of its feet, landing on the jet of water and, using it like a springboard, launched itself unexpectedly at Butterfree's form hovering in the air. The butterfly pokemon, not expecting any sort of physical attack, became too stunned to move, only able to let out a cry as Blaziken then landed forcibly on its back.

Solidad's eyes widened in surprise before turning into slits. "Butterfree, shake Blaziken off with Psybeam now! Slowbro, help out with Confusion!"

"No! Spin and use Blaze Kick!" May shouted hastily, forcing the words in after Solidad's command.

Several things happened at once, all too quick in succession to follow. As Butterfree struggled to lift back into the air, Slowbro shot a glowing beam of Confusion at Blaziken's form. However, the fire pokemon was too fast, spinning in the air as if unaffected by gravity and crashing its burning talon into Butterfree. The butterfly pokemon cried out, its premature Psybeam changing direction and striking its partner Slowbro instead.

As Blaziken then landed gracefully back onto its feet in front of her, May held her breath, staring at Solidad's pokemon, who were now sprawled on the ground. The Blaze Kick should have been even more powerful than before, now that it was energized with Blaze, and she was hoping that Butterfree had finally come to the end of its energy...

However, contrary to her thoughts and to her complete disbelief, both of Solidad's pokemon stood up again after only a second's hesitation, looking tired but still able to fight. Butterfree looked perhaps a bit more worn out, but it was wearing an arrogant expression in its eyes, as if daring its fatigue to reach it.

Solidad smiled in approval at her pokemon's vitality, but she too was starting to realize that they were getting tired. She had to end the battle soon, before they broke apart.

Looking toward May, Solidad took a deep breath, letting a tense compliment slide through her teeth.

"That was a good combination May, considering that you only have one weakened pokemon left. I'm excited to see what other things you have hidden up your sleeve."

May nodded in acknowledgment, wondering whether or not she was just imagining the acid in the older coordinator's tone. "Thanks so much Solidad," she whispered back tersely.

Lillian then proceeded to announce something, but May didn't even let the words register in her mind. She didn't even allow herself to look up at the scoreboard. Ignorance was the only thing she had left to keep her from falling apart.

"That was wonderful Blaziken! Now, let's finish this! Use Overheat on Butterfree, now!"

Before she had said the words, May knew that what she was doing was risky. She had already used one Overheat in the battle, meaning this one would be weaker than the one before. However, she did have Blaziken's Blaze ability still activated, and Butterfree probably needed only one more super effective hit for it to go down...

A shadow of panic began to cross Solidad's expression, but, as Blaziken began to charged up its frenetic power, she let that panic fall. Her lips curled into a smile, one laced with a slight vindictive edge.

"Slowbro, use your Hyper Beam," she commanded softly.

_NO!_

May didn't even have to think to know exactly what would happen if that Hyper Beam hit.

_Blaziken has almost no energy left! If this hits, it will be all over-!_

"Dodge that now!" May shrieked.

But it was too late. The fire pokemon had already shot its powerful, blistering beam of white fire at Butterfree. Made immobile by the move, Blaziken's eyes seemed shadowed with alarm as it heard the Hyper Beam from Slowbro charging behind it.

There were only a few seconds that separated the immediate, decisive future. May felt as though she couldn't breathe, unable to decide what to do.

"_SLOOWWBROO_!"

"NO! Blaziken, stop your Overheat and dodge now!"

The blaze pokemon's jaws fell together with an audible snap, its Overheat attack ceasing in a drizzle of harmless flames as it plunged away from the Hyper Beam attack. Though landing hard onto the stage ground, the fire pokemon was narrowly able to avoid the attack that would have ended the battle in its tracks.

Solidad didn't seem at all upset that the attack hadn't hit. Instead, her smile grew even more pronounced.

"Okay! Butterfree, now that Blaziken is down, use your Sleep Powder!"

"_Butterffreee_!" The bug pokemon let loose a triumphant sound, quickly beating its wings to spread a dangerous white powder shimmering toward Blaziken. Then, while watching the attack float lazily through the air, it grinned, as if knowing that it had won the battle.

By this point, May's emotions were already out of sync, thrown into so much disarray that her mind completely floored itself in exasperation. However, it still surprised her that, when Butterfree smiled its satisfactory grin, a deep anger suddenly flared in May's chest. It burned away all her other feelings, leaving behind only a strong craving for retaliation.

_I've lost so much to get to this point...my pokemon have worked so hard for so many years...I can't lose now, I can't give up, this **cannot** be the end-!_

Focusing her eyes onto the field, May could suddenly see everything in sharp focus- Blaziken struggling to get up off the ground, Solidad standing on the other side of the field, Butterfree hovering high in the air, Slowbro tensed in a battle stance as it recovered from its Hyper Beam attack...

An idea suddenly clicked like a puzzle piece in May's head.

_If I can't knock out Butterfree, then maybe I can-_

"Blaziken! Quickly jump out of the way and hit Slowbro's shell with Sky Uppercut!"

The words sounded inane as they came out of her lips, but Blaziken understood exactly what its trainer had in mind. Summoning one last bit of strength, it tore itself off the ground and swung its claws at Slowbro's shell, propelling it straight up into the air, straight towards Butterfree's Sleep Powder.

"No! Slowbro! Use Water Gun to hit back that Sleep Powder coming toward you!" Solidad cried out, suddenly realizing what May had done, her calm composure crumbling for the first time. The hermit crab pokemon flailed in the brief second it was in the air, spitting water out of its mouth in a vain last attempt to stay in control.

But the damage was already done. The light powder of Butterfree's attack had hit its mark. The water pokemon fell back onto the ground with a loud _splash_, sending the remnants of its Water Gun sparkling into the air, revealing the still form of the sleeping Slowbro, now snoring obliviously in the middle of the field.

"No! Slowbro! Wake up!" Solidad cried out, and May could actually _feel_ her opponent's points slipping away. The hermit crab pokemon made no movement at the words, and next five seconds that passed felt like torture as May hoped, pleaded that Solidad's Slowbro _would__not__get__up-!_

The sound of the blaring 'Xs' that rang out from the judges' panel couldn't have been louder.

"...and it looks like Solidad's Slowbro is out of the battle! The tension is really building up now- with only one pokemon left for each trainer and close to 2 minutes left of this heart stopping battle, the stakes have never been higher! The answer we are all now dying to find out: Who will win this year's Johto Grand Festival?"

* * *

_What's more important?_

With all the sky as his witness, Ash resolutely crushed the dead rose petal with his foot.

_May...I'm so sorry..._

And he started to run.

* * *

If May had learned anything from her years as a coordinator, she knew that one of the most important rules was to never let any moment of triumph overwhelm her focus on the battle. However, as she watched Solidad return her sleeping Slowbro into its pokeball, May was suddenly washed over with so much..._relief_ that it almost blinded her senses.

_We...actually managed to...survive..._

_Almost the 2 minute mark...one pokemon...only two paths left to fall from..._

The whole battle - _her __whole __life_ - felt like a tightrope, suddenly stretched tight under her unsteady feet, waiting, just waiting for her to make a mistake, just watching her move forward, the finish line _so__close_...all she had to do was _get __there_...

(but it would take only one mistake to shatter that dream and plunge her into darkness)

"No way are we finished yet - not ever! Butterfree, let's win this battle! Attack with Psychic, now!"

Solidad's command was sudden - sounding as if it were ripping out of her throat, bordering on the verge of insanity - and Butterfree, too, seemed high-strung as it suddenly pitched toward the ground, eyes glowing as it shot forward a powerful blue beam of Psychic energy. May paled, realizing that Solidad wanted to win _just__a s __much __as __she __did __herself_, and there was no way out of the battle until both of them were fighting for the last breath.

_No...we made it this far, there is no way-!_

"Blaziken! We are not giving up! Counter the attack with a Fire Spin, quick!"

The fire starter let out a battle cry, answering its trainer's command before hurdling toward Butterfree's attack and spitting out a torrent of swirling flames. The two attacks met in a violent explosion, pushing both Butterfree and Blaziken back towards their respective trainers, heads lowered against the aftershock.

Solidad gritted her teeth, feeling as though the battle was nowhere close to leaning to her advantage. In an almost frustrated growl, she relentlessly followed with another command –

"Butterfree, shake off that attack right now! Dive toward Blaziken and give it your most powerful Silver Wind before it can recover!"

The butterfly pokemon complied immediately, but its actions seemed almost unsteady. Rising higher into the air, the bug pokemon reared back its wings and suddenly plummeted toward the standing blaze pokemon, prepared to unleash a forceful, silvery gale. May felt an icy grip crush her chest as she realized that Blaziken was breathing hard as it wrenched its eyes toward the onslaught.

"Please Blaziken, just a bit longer! Dodge by jumping into the air, now!"

The command was rushed, hardly thought out, but it was the only thing she could come up with. Shooting its trainer an impossibly trusting glance, the fire pokemon launched into the air with its powerful legs, arching over Butterfree's Silver Wind as it slammed straight into the spot it had been standing on only seconds ago. Still airborne, the blaze pokemon then pushed off the aftermath of the tunneled wind, sailing higher into the sky.

May couldn't breathe.

"Blaze kick on Butterfree, now Blaziken!"

"No! Stop it with Psychic Butterfree!" Solidad screeched in quick succession.

_So close-!_

Both pokemon reacted at the same time, and Blaziken was suddenly suspended in the air, its glowing talon only centimeters away from Butterfree's glowing blue eyes. Trapped in midair, Butterfree then flung the fire starter toward the ground.

Perhaps it was only Blaziken's headstrong refusal to lose that kept it from crumpling to the floor. With impossibly quick accuracy, the fire pokemon twisted around in the air, pushing off in a handspring as it hit the ground to land safely on its feet. However, only seconds later, the fire starter swayed, lowering to the ground to steady itself, its body shaking with fatigue.

"No Blaziken-!" May choked on the words as they came strangled out of her lips, the pressure on her chest almost causing her to double over. Her eyes were frozen on her first, most loyal pokemon, head bowed, feeling time just evaporate from her fingertips, her foot missing the tightrope and slipping...

_too late, no no no no no no...!_

"Only one and a half minutes left!"

_I can't...!_

* * *

_ I made a promise with my heart,_

_But if I were to break that promise,_

_Would my heart break too?_

* * *

"MAY!"

Someone was shouting from the crowd.

_(Someone that still had hope?)_

From her place down on the battlefield, May's blue eyes lifted, completely lost, _knowing_ that sound...

_That voice..._

"Listen to me May! Don't ever give up - do you hear me? Remember what I've taught you! Remember everything you've done, all that you've worked for! Never forget that!"

No longer in control of her own reactions, the brown haired coordinator felt her eyes flash toward the audience, toward the sound, that _impossible_ sound...

And her heart soared.

_Is that...?_

_(Ash!)_

The black haired boy was standing up in the crowd - _impossible, __absolutely __impossible __- __he __had __returned!_ - his hand was raised, skin flushed and amber gold eyes filled with nothing but fierce, absolute hope.

"Never forget everything we've been through!"

_Never forget..._

Color flashed before May's line of vision, momentarily blinding her. Everything that had happened, everything that had _ever_ happened, replayed before her eyes in a matter of seconds.

_(never forget)_

In that split second, her hand quickly plunged into the top pocket of her green pack, immediately drawn to the ribbon necklace hidden there, for the first time since the battle begun - _the __action __she __had __denied __herself __since __the __beginning __of __the __final __round!_ - and her fingers closed perfectly around the shape with an exhale of _relief_, her fingers warming to the priceless keepsake, holding it like she would never let go, as if her hand just _belonged_ there, like it was just _meant_ to be there-

_Ash...!_

She quickly pulled the chain out and hastened to clasp it around her neck, the ribbon half hanging from its rightful place, swinging just above her _heart_-!

And, as quickly as that glowing moment came- _that __perfect __glorious __return __of __hope_ - May's focus crashed brutally back to earth.

_The battle...!_

It suddenly didn't matter whether or not she was just imagining it, or if Ash was truly standing there in the crowd again, _cheering __for __her, __shouting __just __for __her_ - May didn't allow her mind to cross the thought again. Concentrating all her energy into her memories, she remembered-

_That last contest in Terracotta..._

_For the first half of the battle...I just focused on dodging his Sceptile's attacks and..._

_...his points dropped a great deal..._

_...then we tied and that ribbon...we split-_

_(When you can't beat them with power, send their own power back at them-)_

It was suddenly clear.

Letting her fingers slide away from her ribbon half, May let her voice do all the work. The words came naturally, like they had been part of her all along.

"Blaziken! _I __still __believe __in __you!_ Aim Blaze Kick at the ground, now!"

She was blindly riding that hope still singing through her veins, daring herself to even challenge her own thoughts, letting the feeling guide her into the oblivion that waited ahead-

"We can still do this!"

The memories replaying in her mind burned away the rest of her doubt, vividly colorful, so real that it was just in her grasp-

The words acting like a catalyst, Blaziken suddenly wrenched itself to its feet, so alive, fatigue forgotten, _as __if __able __to __sense __its __trainer's __powerful __return __of __hope_, and roared a battle cry before jumping into the air, twisting its lithe form and slamming its burning talon straight into the stage floor.

The ground crumbled upon contact, sending powerful vibrations, fiery aftershocks, running through the soil hidden deep underground, before the cracks broke open and clouds of dust filled the clear air. Solidad and Butterfree both shielded their eyes, vision suddenly obliterated by the hot steam, riddled with cinders from Blaziken's fire.

Seizing her chance, May pointed toward her opponent, uncaring that her eyes stung and watered.

"Now Blaziken! Sky Uppercut, straight at Butterfree!"

The fire starter gave a rare smile, pinpointing exactly where the butterfly pokemon was hovering in the air before throwing itself straight into the dust cloud, claws outstretched and raw with power. Unable to see, Butterfree was helpless as Blaziken's attack hit it directly in the chest, pitching it straight to the ground.

"No, Butterfree!" Solidad cried out, coughing as the dust cleared out of her view. "Get up! Fight back! Silver Wind at Blaziken, right now!"

Narrowly catching itself before it fell to the ground, the butterfly pokemon lifted quickly back into the air, albeit a bit wearily, expression deadly as it furiously beat its wings, pushing the dust back and creating a loud gust tumbling in Blaziken's direction.

However, for the first time, May seemed to completely expect the attack. With her voice ringing clear with fresh enthusiasm, she shouted-

"Dodge that with a spin Blaziken!"

_You cannot hurt me if you cannot touch me-!_

Once again in sync with its trainer, the blaze pokemon obeyed without hesitation, reeling away from the attack with a sort of powerful grace in its movements. Solidad blanched, as if surprised at May's choice in retaliation. However, a second later, an uncharacteristic irritation replaced the confusion, and the older coordinator spit out her next command.

"Quick Attack Butterfree! Then follow it with Confusion!"

Solidad gave a tentative, confident smile after her words were uttered. _There __is __no __way __Blaziken __can __dodge __that __attack..._

But May only crossed her fingers, trusting Blaziken's ability to retaliate.

"You can do it Blaziken! Dodge that attack with your very own combination!"

The blaze pokemon needed no other instructions. Closing its eyes in concentration, Blaziken suddenly shot into the air, just missing the impact of Butterfree's body by using its _own_ Quick Attack to dodge, having dredged the mechanics of the move from the recesses of its memory. Then, before the bewildered butterfly pokemon could react and fire a Confusion attack, the fire starter dropped from the air and struck Butterfree with a crushing Blaze Kick.

The attack wasn't direct, as the butterfly pokemon had twisted slightly out of the way before being struck, but the damage was undeniable. When the bug pokemon had risen back into the air, it had visible scorch marks all over its wings, gaze almost vulnerable for the first time.

"Wow! It seems that May has chosen a new method of strategy - going defensive instead of offensive! By dodging most of the attacks coming her way, she was able to keep Blaziken revived and cause Solidad to lose points! Both pokemon are now down to their last few bouts of energy - which coordinator will come out the victor?"

Solidad seemed to realize what May was doing right as Lillian announced it. Her eyes narrowed venomously, flashing toward the scoreboard.

"I'm actually impressed May," she said tightly, her gaze flashing. "I would never expect such a change in tactic from you..."

Solidad's eyes hardened as she spoke her next words, choosing them carefully. "But now May, I know your strategy! You can't use it anymore since I know exactly how to counter it!" Whipping her head toward Butterfree, she cried out, without pause, "That Ribbon Cup is almost ours Butterfree! Use a Stun Spore and Psychic combination to end this once and for all!"

The butterfly pokemon cried out in a sort of fury and determination, obeying its trainer once again and sending a Psychic-propelled orange powder toward Blaziken's form.

_We cannot lose-!_

May's own eyes solidified into ice. She was ready for this. Her strategy had already done its damage on Solidad's points, and now it was all up to Blaziken's final show of leftover strength. Raising her arms, she shouted into the air, throwing all her trust into the endless sky-

"Blaziken! Overheat into Sky Uppercut, now!"

_I believe in you Blaziken-!_

She knew that the attack had lost most of its potency from being used so many times, but, somehow, the blaze pokemon was able to conjure up one last glowing ball of searing power, throwing it into the air before slamming its sharp claws straight through the center.

The flames dispersed, heat evaporating most of the Stun Spore as the fire split like glittering rubies into the battlegrounds, raining onto the field. Butterfree's eyes widened as it tried to dodge, but the flames were incessant, undoubtedly efficacious.

The fire hit, attacking the butterfly pokemon's wings, bursting into sparks-

_There is no way that Butterfree can endure such a super-effective attack..._

But then, as the fire calmed, impossibly, the butterfly pokemon was still able to keep its eyes open. Wings singed and ashen, it sunk closer to the ground, but still refused to fall.

Solidad knew time was running out. Anger flashed in her steel blue gaze, and she screamed one last endeavor to win the battle-

"No! We're not losing! Butterfree, get up, use all your energy into a last attempt at Poisonpowder!"

_...What?_

Completely taken aback at how Butterfree was still able to fight back, May could not even make her tongue move as Blaziken was struck by a sudden, forceful gust of shimmering, purple dust from the butterfly pokemon's lethargically beating wings. Settling into the fire starter's skin, the blaze pokemon reeled on its feet, intoxicated.

"NO!"

Solidad smiled, some of the panic melting away, and allowed herself a rigid smile.

"Great job Butterfree! Now," she focused her attention on May, whose eyes were bright with horror.

"Hopefully May, you can see my strategy taking effect. My Butterfree may be too tired to attack anymore, but that Poisonpowder will knock out your Blaziken's weak, remaining health - if time allows." Immediately, the older coordinator's eyes flashed toward the clock, where the seconds were quickly draining away, curling her fists unconsciously.

May choked on the dead retort stuck in her throat, stumbling back a few steps, no words coming out of her lips, Solidad's words completely meaningless, Lillian's new announcement, annoyingly excited, not registering-

Blaziken trembled on its feet, cringing as the poison flared sickeningly through its body.

"It...can't be..."

_I...can't fail..._

"Blaziken..."

_(Time is running out.)_

The clock dropped to ten seconds.

Solidad gritted her teeth, knowing that Butterfree was struggling to stay awake as well, and she watched her opponent's pokemon falter, but it was _still __standing-!_

Acid trickled into May's worn-out body, but she willed herself to focus, watching the internal battle Blaziken was now desperately trying to endure.

_No...I know you can do it...!_

In the stands, Ash felt his heart stop.

_May...Blaziken...please..._

"Five seconds...!"

Blaziken dropped to its knees, eyes fluttering dangerously.

"Four…"

"Three..."

"Two..."

Ash's hand wound unconsciously into his pocket, May's fingers reaching for her heart - both of them grasped their ribbon halves at the very same time, the very same second, feeling, remembering, _connecting__—_

_(Together!)_

"One second!"

_DING!_

The timer stopped, and the points flashed onto the scoreboard.

Ash stopped breathing.

Blaziken was still up.

May's eyes flickered to the bright screen.

"No..."

* * *

**And there you have it! The last battle of the Johto Grand Festival has ended - but who will come out victorious?**

**[1] If anyone is curious, the 'dodging strategy' that May puts emphasis on is seen in the episode _Once__More__with__Reeling!_If you watch the episode closely, you'll notice it :)**

**Eheh...and, now that _that's_over with...**

***looks up pleadingly***

**Would it be futile of me to beg for your forgiveness?**

**I believe that you all deserve an explanation: you see, after I finished the last chapter, I began this one in high spirits, thinking that this fanfic would soon come to a glorious end, and I could start some other projects. That was, during last summer, if I remember correctly. However, I was soon _washed__over_with summer work for school and vacations - leaving me with almost no time for myself and my writing. But, I still told myself that, yes, summer may be hectic, but once it ends, I will have time to write my fanfictions, right?**

**Wrong.**

**Turns out, the school year came by without me knowing, and, combined with health problems and endless stress - I...I just didn't have motivation anymore. I couldn't find it in myself to continue. Because the school year suddenly became so _oppressive_, I tore myself away from the internet, isolating myself from fanfiction, from Bulbagarden, from _everything._I stopped writing. I stopped drawing fanarts. I stopped _shipping_. And so, I left all of my dear shippings and unfinished works behind, because I just couldn't do it anymore.**

**But then, as the school year came to a close, and summer appeared again (I was away in Germany during June, so...), I slowly began to heal. Opened my fanfiction folder, perused my works. I came across this story again, and, I realized that I never _stopped _thinking about this story. It became a sort of nagging voice in my head, one that just got guiltier and guiltier each time my thoughts went past it. So, what do I do then? I sat down, and began to write again. **

**I think, one thing I realized is that, I never stopped loving Advanceshipping. Never did. It was more like that the feeling went dormant for a while, unbidden. It doesn't mean that it ever left. I never really _gave__up_on this story, on this shipping. Advanceshipping is too closely tied to my heart for me to ever truly forget it after all. And, even better, after one glance at all the wonderful fans of this shipping and all the hints and fanworks...I just fell in love with it, all over again. **

**So, now that I've explained, once again, I ask for your forgiveness, and I apologize profusely - truly, I don't know what I would do if you guys hadn't been here to support me. I wish to give you all a smothering hug and a plate of warm cookies. With milk. :)**

**Am I...forgiven? :)**

**All right, _anyway_, once again concerning this fanfic and back on track from that...ridiculous tangent - I have a gift for all of you. You see, I lot can change in a year. And, it is only after my unplanned hiatus that I truly understand that. While you were reading this last chapter, if you felt that the writing style was a bit...different from before, then yes, you are right. In a year, my writing style has changed quite a bit. My outlook on life, my way of using words...yes, the whole bit. So, naturally, as I was finished chapter 10 of this fic, I went back to skim the previous chapters, just to, you know, refresh my memory.**

**Bad idea.**

**Turns out, I never realized how..._crude_my writing used to be. Seriously, reading the past few chapters made me want to cry as a writer. So, I decided, why not go back and revise everything? Kind of like a rebirthing, starting fresh and new :) **

**So, with that said, if you would wish to, I would suggest going back and rereading the whole story again - at least, to breeze through it one last time. Because my writing style has...changed quite a lot, I guess you could say, and I've _drastically_ altered each of the chapters. Not the plot per say, but the emotions, the internal dialogue, the overall feel of the writing. All for you guys of course...I'm hoping that it makes my hiatus...somewhat forgivable :) Because truly, my 'old' writing...was more inadequate than I remembered. Kinda made me wonder in what mind I was in when I deemed them 'ready to post'. The...crudeness made me want to cringe. Ah, so, I just went back and painstakingly revised and rewrote every single one ;) Took me a total of almost 73 hours. No lie. **

**Hope you enjoy it, as always :) I really really missed you guys!**

**Have a lovely day, and oh! Happy Independence Day for you Americans ;) I_ promise promise promise _that the next chapter will be up very soon - sometime in the next two weeks, at most! Thank you all _so__ much _for your continued support, your patience with me. :)**

**Love you all! **

**Kisses, **

**WingsofRain**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello everyone! Lovely day, isn't it? :)**

**Anyway, here is the second-to-last chapter, as promised! (See! I _can_ have almost-fast updates :p) But, in all seriousness, I think I _am _going to have an epilogue for this story, because I believe that the end of this chapter was just not...enough. Not enough closure, if you know what I mean :)**

**I had to listen to a lot of emotional music to get this chapter down. Quite a tough one it was. Sacrificed some sleep for it, but I guess that's what happens when you get closer to the end of a story ;)**

**BUT! Some _really _important housekeeping to do now:**

**Oh. My. Goodness.**

**Over _100 _reviews?**

***gasps, chokes, completely shocked***

**Oh...I can't even believe it...*tears form* Y-you guys are just...simply _fantastic_. Seriously. I feel like I have the most amazing readers - I would be nowhere without you guys~ I wish I could reply to all of your reviews, but sometimes my email inbox get crowded you see, and I lose track. D: Don't worry, I read every single one - and each one touches my heart in its own special way :) If I have not replied to a review of yours, I'm _so _sorry, please forgive me! Know that I tried to, but I'm just really busy and lazy and messy ;)**

**Mm, but, bottom line, _I love you all. _I respect and hold every single one of you in high esteem and really would not have been able to follow through with this fanfic if you all weren't here to read it :) Thank you!~**

**Ah, now, go on, read the story! One more chapter to go! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"No..."

May blinked. Stared at the scoreboard. Looked again.

"I..."

All gazes fell upon the calculating point meter, then on the emptied timer resting at 0:00.

(the last second dropped alone into silence, lost in the sea of eyes.)

Time smiled.

And withdrew.

Solidad stumbled back a few steps, from delighted surprise or horrified shock, no one could tell.

Ash tightened his grip around his ribbon half, straining to see.

"May..."

The brown haired coordinator felt her lips part in shock, her blue eyes wide and unsure.

"...I..."

Without restraint, one word made its way from her voice, slipping out with her expiring breath.

"..._won_."

* * *

The subsequent explosion of cheers was unbelievable.

Everyone in the audience seemed to rise to their feet at the same time, waving their arms, shouting, applauding - the sound of acclaim having strained to its breaking point, climbing higher higher _higher _until its climax almost brought tears to May's frozen eyes. In the midst of the crowd, Ash, Brock and Dawn all leapt into a standing position, exulting their amazement until their voices too had drowned in the exclamation.

"She did it! She won!" Dawn shouted, hugging Piplup tightly to her chest as she bounced up and down, her voice reaching a shrill point of inaudibility.

Brock just laughed, nodding his head proudly, letting out a crisp whistle of acclamation along with the clapping. Next to him, Pikachu danced on its seat, cheering with sparks effusing from its small red cheeks. "Pi pika! Pi pikachu!"

And Ash suddenly felt as though he were frozen in time, tumbling from a great height as the shock and amazement and _joy _thundered through his veins, his heart spluttering before picking up double time.

"…s-she…_won_…"

He felt his tongue trip over the words - those wonderful _glorious _words - once, twice, again – and yet he suddenly couldn't find it in his heart to care, not noticing that his voice was rendered speechless, or that his eyes had started to tear over, because his heart had just _swelled_, twisting upward from its sharp descent to earth and _soaring_ above the stadium in a rush of pure adrenaline, returning to him only in that brightest, luminescent fraction of a second that it left him breathless.

"_Oh!"_

Ash felt a jolt of giddiness crest in his veins, his blood spiking to an incredible peak, affection and pride finally conquering his dense heart, planting its flag with a flourish and screaming out to the world in a burst of fireworks, almost comically trite, yet at the same time, so foolishly _true_.

_(He was a fool to fall in love, yet how could he deny it any longer-?)_

All doubts flew out the window, if only in that moment, that glowing, shining moment of pride, as Ash suddenly let himself cry out, gripping his ribbon half tighter in his hand, all hesitations and qualms and unfinished thoughts _be damned_.

"You did it May! I'm so proud of you! You won the Grand Festival!"

Below on stage, that was all the brown haired coordinator had ever wanted to hear.

"I…did it…" she whispered, still unable to believe it.

Still trembling in front of her, Blaziken's half-lidded eyes widened a fraction in awareness, before melting into satisfaction.

"_Blaze_…"

Craning its neck wearily to face its trainer, the blaze pokemon finally allowed a drained, congratulatory smile to flash across its face before it shuddered, and collapsed forward, peacefully closing its eyes, at last succumbing to the Poisonpowder's departing effects.

"Oh! Blaziken!"

Throwing aside the aftershock, the young coordinator rushed forward and slung one of Blaziken's arms over her shoulders, supporting the fire starter at the waist. Eyes flickering slightly, the blaze pokemon sent its trainer another smile, as if to say, "_Told you we could do it."_

Tears, spilling from the crevices of its coordinator's blue eyes, gave the fire starter all the response that it needed, as May buried her face in Blaziken's shivering fur, not sure if she was laughing or crying or something in between.

"…thank you…_t-thank you…" _she said over and over, voice muffled, quite aware that she was acting quite irrationally, but then again, she _couldn't care less_. Blaziken nodded with a loving smile, level-headed as always, and, though tired, subtly embraced its trainer back, proud and delighted and just as happy as May was.

Shifting away finally, the brown haired swallowed a few times, composing her expression, scolding herself for those silly tears. Placing the mask of an experienced, cool-headed coordinator over her face once more, she quickly fished out Blaziken's pokeball and returned the fire starter in a flash of red light, murmuring endearments as a capricious, unbidden smile flashed across her face.

_I won the Johto Grand Festival. I am the top coordinator._

It had finally come true.

_(I am the top coordinator.)_

She had always wondered what this moment would feel like, to have her dream clasped between her hands, like a glittering trail of stardust or a fleeting memory that threatened to expire in the whimsical seconds of day. She had never reached far enough in her imaginative future to decide how she would act or what she would say – but May now realized that she didn't need to. Everything was falling into their rightful place, the tears and laughter and streaming happiness inside of her so resplendently _natural._

And, now that she _did_ have her dream in her very fingers, she was _never_ going to let it go, forcing herself to commit every detail to memory, how the crowd was still cheering, how Lillian was announcing the results in her peppy, excited tone, how the scoreboard was flashing her name, and how her heart suddenly felt so complete, so loved and _fulfilled-_

"Great job May. That was a wonderful battle – I'm glad to have been a part of it with you."

Looking up in surprise, the brown haired coordinator saw that Solidad had walked across the stage, having returned her fatigued Butterfree and was now offering her hand in a cordial gesture of sportsmanship and amity. Relieved that the older coordinator was willing to reconcile over their heated battle, May smiled and quickly shook Solidad's hand, sealing their silent, respectful confrontation.

"Thanks Solidad, you did amazingly too!"

The red-haired coordinator smiled coolly, folding her arms and nodding toward the throng of photographers and news reporters now streaming into the stadium entrance, the group of coordinators that had participated in the Festival quickly filing from their seats to the stage floor, the wild audience still scattered in the stands, the judges with their patient grins ready to reveal the prestigious Ribbon Cup.

"Go get that Ribbon Cup May. Head held high and proud, understand? You deserve it," Solidad said quietly, her sensible, flinted eyes showing their advice, urging on her friend, genuinely, if not grudgingly, happy for her.

_She's growing up._

Eyes wide, blue like sapphires and oceans and skies, the brown haired coordinator nodded gratefully, finally at ease.

"Okay. I will."

And this time, she really believed it.

* * *

"…And now concludes the end of another amazing Grand Festival! I want to thank everyone again for joining us, and of course a huge congratulation to all the talented coordinators that entered this year! Now, let's give one last round of applause for our hard working coordinators – and of course, for our new top coordinator, May, from Petalburg City! Wonderful job – you did it!"

Forever energized, the audience gave one last round of applause, cheers melding from one to the next as the general air of the Festival Stage turned into one of celebration and closure. All the coordinators that had participated in the Festival seemed to be clapping the loudest, gathered center stage around the awards podium with the Grand Festival winner standing directly on top.

Relinquishing her incredulity for the moment, May waved back to the general crowd, smiling, blushing, laughing. In her hands, _finally finally finally _was the Ribbon Cup, golden and solid and shining for all it was worth. Colorful pieces of confetti fluttered around the stadium, like butterflies or falling stars, invigorating the festive atmosphere that seemed to have claimed everyone standing in its wake.

May grinned again, stilling her pose briefly as she watched several flashes of cameras flicker in her direction. She shifted the Ribbon Cup in her hands, hugging it tight, unbelieving that the incredibly surreal moment was – at last – honestly true. She decided not to question it, instead just lifting the Ribbon Cup higher, under the midnight orange skies so full of promise and _hope_-

In her other hand, where no one could see, no camera could take, May tightened her grip on her Terracotta ribbon half, perfectly fastened to its gold, encrusted chain. It meant everything to her, everything and anything, and, though she didn't know it, the owner of the other half was gripping it just as tightly as he watched from the audience, with pride and sadness and happiness and grief, watching the girl he had introduced to the Pokemon world at last find a place she could call her own.

"…All right! Now I'm sure everyone knows about the reception party later tonight in the city to celebrate the end of our Grand Festival – please, join us in our festivities…"

As Lillian began to announce the time and place of the forthcoming Festival reception party to the crowd, May let her eyes stray into the cluster of coordinators assembled around the podium once more – she could see Solidad up front with Harley, though while the red haired coordinator was cheering politely and enthusiastically, Harley had a half-angry, half complacent look on his face, a sour smile on the corner of his mouth as he gave a reluctant accolade. May could also see Kite standing near the middle of the group, whistling and clapping with one arm wrapped around Kiri, the dainty, long-black haired coordinator that Solidad had been up against in the final round also cheering, her intelligent eyes shining with congratulations. Forgoing her curiosity at the two and making a mental note to meet Kiri personally at the reception, May continued her visual path, seeing faces new and old, coordinators from every region, and at one point she could have sworn that she saw a familiar, green-haired boy standing on the outskirts of the group…

So he had come back too.

Swallowing nervously, May kept her head held high, ignoring the sore, guilty twinge once again flashing in her chest. She would not let him ruin this glorious moment for her. She _wouldn't_. Yes, truth be told, she still valued his friendship, and perhaps they would talk this over sometime when the discomfort had dispelled, but, at this moment in time, with the Ribbon Cup held impossibly in one hand and her precious ribbon half in the other, it was _her _turn to shine in the limelight.

And yet, as her gaze fell to the end of its journey, May realized that she had not yet found that one specific person her eyes had been so desperately searching for. Scanning the enlarged crowd once more, since the audience had long pushed their way out of the stands to also congregate around the winner's podium, her heart leapt from her chest and stumbled over clumsy, silver seconds as she suddenly spotted him, standing with Brock and Dawn and Pikachu.

_(Ash.)_

Their eyes met at the same time, ocean into sun, earth into sky.

Two halves into a whole.

He sent her a smile, a joyful, melancholy, _still-confused_ little smile, before quickly looking away and retreating quietly from the stadium grounds.

May felt her eyes widen in surprise.

_Wait! Don't go!_

She didn't even spare the crowd around her a second glance. Cradling her ribbon half in open view now, May shifted the Festival Cup to her side and swiftly jumped off the winner's podium, determined to go after Ash.

As she stepped to the ground, all at once, coordinators, friends, strangers, reporters and photographers all swarmed in, with questions and flashbulbs and microphones thrust under her nose, all wanted to get a word from the new top coordinator. Perhaps in another situation, May would not have hesitated to stop and answer their inquiries, having always dreamt of being in the spotlight of fans and paparazzi. But, to May at the moment, they might as well not have been there, because she began to struggle her way through, Ash's disappearing figure still bright in her mind.

"Hey! May, you did positively amazing! Wait, where are you going-?"

Unable to answer Dawn as she pushed past, May sent her blue haired friend a quick smile, then to Brock and Pikachu coming up from behind her, eyes flashing with determination.

"Thanks, but we'll talk later – I have to find Ash - and, tell him something-!"

Then, with one last shove through the crowd, May thrust her newly won Ribbon Cup away into Brock's surprised, bemused hands, and sprinted out of the Festival Stage, leaving behind the glory of her win, of her dream-come-true.

(she had let him go once before – but this time, she wasn't going to let it happen again.)

Her questing eyes landing on Ash's back, she swerved, watching as he retreated.

She followed after him.

* * *

_It's so dark here, in the midst of my confusion._

_I need someone to help me._

_Can you?_

* * *

"Ash! Wait up! _Ash!_"

Lifting his head, the black haired boy paused, eyes widening at the familiar cry, the scrambling footsteps, the clear, desperate voice breathless as if…as if she had _sprinted_ to catch up to him, as if-

…_she had been afraid to lose him again._

He didn't turn around, but he did stop walking, not quite ready to face her yet.

The footsteps stopped, a few paces behind him, the owner of the winded feet still gasping a bit, catching her breath.

"…Ash," she exhaled, as if slackening a bit, energy suddenly vanishing with an almost tangible air of doubt, tinged with the relief at having reached him in time.

_(I…)_

"Why did you leave?" he asked bluntly, casually, still facing away from her, toward the darkened sky holding the thinnest sliver of gold.

She answered a beat late, perhaps startled at his candid approach into the conversation.

"I-I…what?"

He shrugged, looking up at the sky.

"The Festival. Your moment of glory. Your adoring fans. _Them_."

The words weren't sardonic, as they usually would suggest. Instead, they were thoughtful, quiet - undertones of pride and happiness and acceptance peeking through the consonants and vowels.

She paused again, not as if she were pondering over how to answer, but as if she was taken aback that he would ask such a ridiculous question.

"W-what are you talking about? I-I…of course I left! You walked away! Without me! You can't just _leave_…I-I need you there!"

Silence. Ash swallowed, his expression one of cautious disbelief, his heart feeling weak and unguarded and _vulnerable _but oh so _free-!_

"…you…do?" He asked finally, voice faint, as if afraid of the answer.

Not receiving a reply, Ash turned around at last, and, the sight of May standing there, cheeks flushed, hands clasped together, _blue, blue eyes _so wide and honest and expectant and hopeful, rendered into an almost pearly opal by the fading daylight, nearly floored him.

"_Yes_."

There was no hesitation in the answer, no indecision or reservation. Only trust.

And, for the first time in a long while, Ash felt the edges of his mouth curl up into a smile in response, a small, genuine, sweet little smile that held no trace of pain or sadness or uncertainty.

"May..."

He stepped forward then, keeping their eyes connected the whole while, hesitating in his advance when he reached directly in front of her. They were so close that he could smell the fragrance of spring flowers and distant mountains on her skin, so soft and gentle that it was strangely intoxicating.

Reaching into his pocket, he took out his half ribbon, the pink fringe bent and crumpled like the remnants of a love letter long ripped to pieces but then patched together again. Smoothing it a bit, Ash held it up, watching May expectantly, waiting there.

The brown haired coordinator smiled, eyes glimmering. Without pause, she reached for the jeweled chain and held up her own ribbon half as well, touching it carefully, ever so lightly, next to Ash's.

Finally whole.

They held it there a half second more, echoing the originally un-split Terracotta ribbon in its place, like a familiar comfort, a memorable sign. And, in a way, it was just that. Like their own small way of holding hands, or touching little fingers.

Making a promise.

They broke apart then, and the sky faded to its closing, midnight blue. At once, colorful strings of lights lit up around them, setting the Festival stage aglow in a multitude of shades and blushes, rivaling the waking stars. A soft radiance began to release into the air, with the Johto stadium at its center, preparing the area and the nearby city for nightfall's Festival reception party.

May hummed in the back of her throat, awed by the lovely, vivid lights, and turned back to Ash, opening her mouth to say something. However, he held up one hand to stop her, nodding toward the Festival Stage.

"Go May. Don't wait for me. I want you to enjoy this from the bottom of your heart. This is your _dream_, remember? Have fun. Get to the party. I'll stay here for a while longer."

She looked about to ask why, but Ash was one step ahead of her again, his answer oddly wise and acute for once.

"I just need to think by myself for a while. Sort out some things, relocate my heart and put it back together. We'll talk later…and I'll explain, and…ask my questions."

He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself, or perhaps cleansing himself, and his next words were notably more insecure.

"And…when I do…y-you'll…be willing to answer them, right?"

For a second, he was reverted back to that dense, confused boy again, impulsive amber eyes hesitantly optimistic. But May just smiled in reply, nodding.

(After all, _that _was the boy she had fallen in love with.)

"Of course. I'll be waiting."

And then she turned away from him, hearing his light movements as he sat down on the ground, sighing and lifting his head up toward the sky. Sneaking a quick, final glance, May felt a gentle, fond smile steal across her heart at the sight.

Ash's eyes were closed, lips softly turned up in a grin, finally at peace.

Removing her gaze, May confidently strode away from his static form, walking back to the Festival stage, where she could still hear the murmurs of sound as everyone began to filter into the Festival reception party.

She was top coordinator now after all.

They were waiting for her.

* * *

"…and that combination with your Blaziken's Sky Uppercut and Overheat? _So awesome!_"

"Really? You think so? Thanks…!"

Expressing the gratitude around another spoonful of whipped topping and lychee ice cream, May polished off the rest of the dessert and pushed the empty glass toward the accumulating pile. She then reached eagerly toward the stockpile of other sweets, selecting a plate of delicate chiffon cake wrapped in folded paper and a dish of mochi before attacking them enthusiastically. Her famous appetite was full and happy in her stomach now, having shown itself after the last bits of adrenaline and nervousness from the competition had drained away.

Dawn gaped a bit at May's sheer ability to eat, as the brown haired, _top _coordinator had already devoured bowls of noodles of all delicious kinds, from Chinese _rou tang mian _to Italian _tagliatelle _to Japanese _udon _and ramen, but the blue haired girl then floundered around to close her mouth and begin to babble once more, recounting her favorite parts of May and Solidad's final battle. Brock, having long since gotten used to May's considerable appetite, just smiled heartily and ate his own dessert with satisfaction, paying heed to the excitement and enthusiasm in the air.

The festivities _were_ quite a sight to behold. The exterior of the city near the Festival Stage had been brought to life with music and food and laughter and light, coordinators and friends and spectators and pokemon whirring around with boundless energy as the day came to its close. It was as if the entire atmosphere had bloomed into a bright, yellow flower, spreading infectious grins and exhilaration regardless of who and what and why.

Besides Dawn, Brock and Pikachu, Kite, Solidad and Kiri had also drifted over to eat and talk with May and her pokemon, the Grand Festival's winning team bursting with energy and life as they sat with the Ribbon Cup at their side. It was quite a lovely spectacle to behold, trainers and coordinators and pokemon from all over joining in to celebrate for a friend.

From across the table, Kiri put aside her spoon and lightly cut into the conversation as Dawn paused in her ramble to take a breath.

"You did do a great job May – even though I didn't compete against you, I wish I did, just to see your combinations," the black haired coordinator began, her voice thoughtful. "…but, well, I have to say I _am _quite curious about one thing…"

She gestured delicately towards May's neck, a docile, inquisitive look warming her gaze.

"…could you perhaps tell me what that half-ribbon around your neck is from? I can tell from your eyes that it means much more to you than an outsider would probably understand. I have to say, the chain is very beautiful, and the style of the ribbon itself is quite unique…"

At the elder coordinator's words, May looked surprised, and, following Kiri's gaze, she glanced down, indeed seeing the mentioned keepsake shining in the lights of the Festival decorations. Mulling over the decision of whether or not to tell the story for only a brief second, the brown haired coordinator smiled at her new friend.

"Oh…this ribbon…"

She reached for it as she spoke, tracing the memorable shape with familiar eyes.

"Well…you see, long story short, I split this with…someone, in a contest long ago in Terracotta town. In Kanto. We tied, but there was only one ribbon, so we decided to share the prize, and…"

Smiling, she let the trinket drop against her chest, glinting above her heart, and May's eyes gleamed, passionate and wistful.

"…it's very special to me. And that person is very special to me too."

Insightful, clear dark eyes widening, Kiri nodded in understanding, a warm smile on her face.

"Well, then that person is very lucky May," the elder girl said wisely, brushing her black hair from her cream colored skin. Letting a cheeky smile then play across her lips, she nudged the pensive, blond coordinator sitting next to her.

"Guess we should split a ribbon sometime too, huh Kite?" she teased, winking as Kite sent her a lighthearted grimace.

"Only if you _can _tie with me," he replied just as easily, as if he had been part of the conversation the entire time. Everyone chuckled and Kiri rolled her eyes, swatting good-naturedly at him.

May smiled at the two. "Have you guys known each other for long?" she asked, mildly curious.

Kiri sent Kite another grin before answering. "Yeah, we met a while ago actually in this one place…"

As the black haired girl eased into her story, Solidad and Dawn began a small converstation, and Brock cut his attention off briefly, glancing over at May's pokemon, all sitting near the table, laughing and playing and eating, then to Pikachu sitting a little ways aside, who seemed to be a bit nervous that its _own_ trainer had still not yet arrived to the festivities.

"Pika. Pika pi, pikachu," it said worriedly, waving its lightning-bolt shaped tail.

Brock gave the electric pokemon a sympathetic glance, handing it another packet of ketchup that Pikachu devoured instantly.

"I'm sure he's just fine Pikachu," the spiky haired boy said, looking out into the brightly-lit night. "May said that he just wanted some time alone, remember? Go play with your friends – there's no need to worry, okay?"

The yellow mouse pokemon seemed to think over the words before nodding, licking off the last bit of ketchup before bounding over to where Skitty and Beautifly were playing a small game of tag. Behind them, Blaziken, Wartortle and Munchlax were conversing, perhaps telling jokes or sharing anecdotes, while Venusaur and Glaceon danced to the music floating through the air, eyes bright with cheer and joy.

Still wrapped in her own conversation, the brown haired coordinator had heard Brock's words faintly, and still couldn't help but let her smile just get _that much_ wider. Reaching to her heart, she curled her fingers around her ribbon, looking to her beloved pokemon, her great friends, and then to the vast sky, nodding in an ambiguous, indistinct agreement.

_("…the ribbon is very special to me. And that person is very special to me too.")_

* * *

It was only hours later, far into midnight, that the festivities began to calm, the sparkling lights muting to a mellow glow, the fervent atmosphere of fireworks and sparks settling into a slower burn, like the leftover glowing coals warming a fireplace.

Drinking in the cool night air, May sank into a wooden bench, situated in a scenic placement between the main city road and its bordering grassy park. She could still see the scatterings of decorations and hear the floating notes of music, drifting over but not quite reaching the peaceful, unruffled spot. All the excitement had caused color and heat to rise into her cheeks, and the brown haired coordinator had excused herself to be alone for a while, to think things over, to appreciate, to muse.

Placing the Ribbon Cup, _her _Ribbon Cup, carefully by her feet, May leaned back on the bench and sighed, her heart rate slowing back to a healthier, quieter rhythm. Out of really nothing in particular, she gave a small laugh, letting it reverberate deep in her throat and chest, the sound dripping golden light into her physically tired body.

_So happy. So relieved. So, so impossibly happy-_

"May?"

Her laughter ceased immediately at the sound of her name, impeded by shock.

"…A-Ash?"

The black haired boy lowered his head in acceptance, like an adorably guilty child getting caught sneaking a biscuit from the cookie jar. Cautiously, as if moderating each of his movements, he approached May's bench and sat down beside her, keeping his gaze on the ground.

After a few seconds of silence however, caught between a web of complacency and awkwardness, Ash finally spoke up, offering something in front of May's face.

"Cone?"

The brown haired girl turned, shocked, to see a vanilla ice cream cone raised in offering. Unbidden, she felt her lips melt into a smile. Years ago, during a Grand Festival from a different moment, a different memory, he had offered her the same thing. At the time though, she had still been clueless, undecided, distracted by dreams and goals and blind resolve.

But she wasn't that girl anymore. And, unlike then, she accepted this time.

"Thanks."

Ash grinned, handing her the treat while taking a lick of his own. May's heart thudded audibly when their hands brushed, as if it were emphasizing its new freedom, finally unchained from its shackles of worry and indecision, unguarded by doubts and uncertainties any longer, throbbing embarrassingly in her chest.

They ate in a contemplative sort of silence, both unsure where to begin, what to say, what to think, what to reflect upon. It wasn't until May was almost finished her ice cream cone that Ash finally spoke up.

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"

Easy, breathy words. Simple and not hard to answer. May took another lick of her ice cream and nodded.

"Yeah. It is."

She didn't need to look to know that he was smiling at the comfort in her answer. With only the slightest of movements, May felt Ash's weight shift as he leaned back against the cool wood of the bench, letting out a sigh.

"And how are you feeling about all this?" he murmured, voice genuinely interested. He sounded more pensive than expectant for an answer.

May shrugged, humming in thought, rolling the question on her tongue.

"Shocked I suppose. And relieved. _So _relieved. I don't think I've ever been happier."

It wasn't all a lie. She hadn't it meant for it to be one in the first place. Ash glanced over and smiled softly in response.

"I'm glad then. That's what I wanted for you all along."

May felt herself blush, and quickly ducked her head to try and hide the foolishly thrilled grin on her lips from peeking into the darkness.

"It was?"

"…always."

Peace. Quiet. The moon rose higher into the sky, casting its silver veil upon the ground in place of their soundless communication. They didn't need words at this point. They understood each other.

Or so May thought. Her heart stumbled as Ash shifted again, this time feeling the atmosphere darken with his movement, turning more somber, suddenly bleak.

"…Why did you do it?" he whispered at last, as if that question alone had been the only one he had not been able to answer, had not been able to let go. He studiously avoided looking at May as he said this, instead wiping his sticky hands forlornly on his jeans.

She did not answer the question right away, not because she didn't know what he was talking about, but because she herself wasn't quite sure of the answer. Pushing the rest of the vanilla cone into her mouth, she swallowed, her tongue cold, before turning to him and staring at the curve of his face until he had no choice but to face her too.

"I don't know," she answered sincerely, sending the message more through her eyes, hoping that they showed their honesty, because it was _true_. Ash however, didn't look quite too satisfied with the answer, and frowned, perturbed.

"He _kissed _you. And you let him."

"I know."

Silence. Ash seemed suddenly insecure, continuing in a quiet voice, tinged with a sort of ire.

"…then, why?"

May hesitated again, but then took a deep breath and placed a hand tentatively on Ash's, resting on the bench. The black haired boy flinched slightly, the oddest expression on his face, almost as if he were…_blushing_.

"Because he kissed me first," she disclosed to him at last, closing her eyes and removing her hand. Ash gave a sharp intake of breath, as if in some sort of twisted epiphany, and May, feeling as though the admittance to that one important detail had suddenly opened a mental floodgate, began to ramble, tripping over words as she tried to get them all out.

"I mean, he just leaned forward – I was there to just comfort him, because I beat him in the semi-finals and I was feeling incessantly guilty, honest! A-and before I knew it, he was, h-he was _kissing _me, and I was just so surprised, and I-I had no idea what to do, b-but then you showed up, a-and…"

Her stumbled explanation suddenly took a fiercer turn, and May abruptly lashed out at Ash, more in desperation than in anger. The lockbox that had been trapping her emotions finally dissolved, releasing waves of tumultuous feelings long unresolved, now greedily licking their way up her skin like flames.

"Why did you run away from me? _Why? _I _cried _after you! I was trying to explain! B-but you just _ran _off...without even a reason, and do you realize...do you even-"

She turned, glared, the acid in her stare neutralized by the watery film obstructing her sight.

_"...Do you even realize just how much that hurt me_-_?_"

Tears, the stupid, irrational tears, leaked from the corners of her eyes, in guilt and aggravation and _god she didn't even know what anymore_-

Ash flinched again, more visibly this time, May's frustrated cry yanking cruelly at his heartstrings – but then he too struck back, raising his voice. This was a different fire smoldering in them both, not one of jealousy or pain or misunderstanding, but of annoyance and complete aggravation, not at each other, but at _themselves_-

"Do _I_ realize? Why don't you ask _yourself?_ I mean, d-did you think this was _easy _for me? Do _you _understand what _I _had to go through? What, with you taking his damn _roses _all the time, do you think I wouldn't have _noticed_? I felt like my _heart _had been ripped out of my chest-!"

"Like _hell_ I don't know what you went through! I was a complete _wreck_ during that final round, didn't you see, and I was barely able to even pull myself together-!"

"- but at least _you _were able to! Look at me – I can't even understand my own feelings anymore! I can't...I can't even - I mean, i-it's like, every time I think about it, I feel as though you are _tearing _my chest apart and _flinging _the pieces in whatever goddamn place you find suitable-!"

"But _why?_" May finally cried out, her voice reaching a breaking point. She almost wanted to reach over and grab Ash insistently by the shoulders. "You never cared before – why should you now? Why? Answer me Ash! _Why do you even care?"_

And that stopped Ash short, quenching the flames that had been licking around the jagged edges of his broken heart. He exhaled, the expiring breath seemingly taking away all his frustrations in one douse.

"…because I _do _May."

Shocked, confused blue eyes widened, stared into dark gold, now earnest, pleading, still smoldering from its fiery residue. Ash licked his lips nervously, but didn't look away, and continued.

"...Took me a while to see it, but i-it's true May...I-I really _do _care. I never noticed before, or maybe I was just too blind to see it back then, but _now_…after thinking about it for so long…and a-after seeing you again...and out there on that stage…throwing everything you got into that Festival…and then finally accomplishing your _dream…_"

Ash hung his head, hid his eyes, as if lost for words.

"…I-I realized that I _do _care, and that I always _did _care. T-that…I want to see you continue further on your journey, reach higher stars, and that I-I wanted to _be _there when you did, to watch you, to help you, to _be_ there for you…b-but now I feel that even _that _just wouldn't be…_enough_…"

May felt her eyes widen, all her fire evaporating into smoke, her tears halting briefly before falling at a new tempo, this time for a different reason.

"…Y-you…"

The black haired boy made a hum of frustration and reached forward impulsively, wiping away her tears with his thumbs, and May froze under his touch, her heart just _screaming_, _yes, yes, yes-!_

"Look, May - I wish I could tell you everything. I really do. I want nothing more than to tell you everything. But it's not that I don't want to - it's just that I _can't_."

He leaned away again, and May could suddenly _feel _the connection that tied them together, understand for one bright, hallucinatory second, how the red thread linked their hearts in an impenetrable knot, how their epiphanies, bewildered and rushed or otherwise, had _crossed paths_-

It was impossible to put into words. What they had realized about their feelings, what conclusions they had come to, what conjectures they had made, whether in the dark of night or in the wanderings of the sunlit city – but, regardless of where or when or why or _how_, they had both _felt _it, both _experienced _it, both _realized _it.

And that was all that mattered.

"Ash…"

May scrubbed at the remaining cold trails left on her face, turning to him, his eyes dark like obsidian in the night.

"You don't have to explain. I-I think I know what you are trying to say. Because…well…"

Her heart jumped again, and she shied away with an embarrassed flush.

"…because well, _I-I feel that way too_."

Ash's eyes widened in shock, but then just as quickly melted into warmth and hope and understanding as the words sank in.

"…Yeah."

A mild breeze settled between their words, ruffling their hair, the grass, the trees, the stars. Carrying away the last bit of frustration, soothing the heated smoke with its cool touch. Finally understood, finally admitted.

_(together)_

May cleared her throat, flickering her gaze at him. Ash looked back without faltering, mesmerized by those eyes, embedded with sapphires and pieces of sky.

"May…"

She bit her lip, but then risked the plunge, leaning forward, so close that she could feel that his lips were cold and sweet, touched with vanilla-

He leaned away, avoiding what he knew would have happened next. Though she had steeled herself, May felt her heart splinter.

Ash didn't allow that, and quickly took her hand without even thinking, squeezing it, his eyes wide and honest and regretful.

"N-no…please, don't be hurt. I-I can't bear it. Please. I-I just…it's just that…"

Still holding her hand, he could feel that her grip had slackened, and he looked away, ashamed.

"…I'm not…ready…yet."

May tried urgently to erase any hint of pain on her face, but she left the confusion written there. Ash saw it and tried to explain.

"It's just…I need _time _May. _We _need time. Both of us are still confused, at least I know _I _am…except not about how I _feel_, b-but more about where I think my…responsibilities lie."

He looked up at her pleadingly, unable to completely put his thoughts into words but still trying his best.

"I mean…just think, I still have so many competitions to attend, places to be, new regions to explore. I promised myself, from the start of my journey, way back in Kanto, years and years ago, that I would follow through, and not give up until…until I…"

He paused, gave up on that sentence, started again.

"It's just that, I still haven't found my place in the world. I haven't come to a closure with my adventures quite yet. If anything were to happen between…b-between _us_, we would rarely see each other, and I…I-I can't risk that, to _lose _that, to lose myself, my dream, m-my hopes…and…then if I lost _you…_"

Ash shook his head, laughing without mirth.

"I-I'm sorry…I know I must sound ridiculously _pathetic_, but please, just try to understand. I'm just not used to this yet – I still don't know what to expect, what to _feel, _you know? I've never had to deal with this kind of_…conflict_ before. These feelings, two strong pulls trying to drag me in completely different directions – I-I've never felt it so _strongly _about something that _wasn't _related with my pokemon journey…"

He looked back at her, staring into her eyes, memorizing their shape and color and emotion, as if seeing her for the first time.

"…at least, not before…"

May swallowed, eyes wide with understanding.

"Oh...Ash...I..."

Her throat felt thick, heart choked with words and aching from both sadness and joy, leaping in a bittersweet dance that turned into the tears now cascading freely down her cheeks. Without a second thought, May reached out and grasped Ash's hand with her delicate fingers, this time not letting go.

"Okay. _Okay_…"

Her words came out in half sobs, but their intent was as clear as her watery smile.

"I get it Ash."

The black haired boy parted his lips, looking down in a dazed sort of shock at May's hand, entwined with his own, flushing in spite of himself, confused by the tears still on her cheeks.

"M-May?...p-please, don't be upset…don't-"

She stopped him, squeezing his hand. Ash went silent, and May caught his unfinished words, her voice catching.

"Ash, listen…i-it would be a lie to say I'm not upset...b-but, you must understand - _I_ wouldn't want to take you from your dream either. I wouldn't, _not ever_, no matter how happy it would make me if we _were _actually…together…"

She looked up at him shyly, complete and utter trust shining in her eyes as she conveyed her next words.

"…because, w-well, I can only be happy if you're happy too."

And with those words, Ash's heart took _flight_.

_(happy.)_

Without another sound, the black haired boy finally leaned forward, at long last closing the space between them and enveloped May in an embrace, so natural, so _right – _his chest throbbing with sincerity and gratitude and pain and so much _love_-

"_May…_"

The name sounded so beautiful on his voice, and Ash could feel his very chest begin to mend with the sound, every broken part, every last bit of confusion and doubt, simply _overwhelmed _by _her_, her warmth, her smile, just _her_-

_(she understood what he was feeling, and she felt it too-)_

May felt blood rush in her cheeks, warming her skin, but she couldn't even care to notice as she hugged him back, tightly, the moment so surreal, so beautiful, so _perfect_.

And, even though part of her heart was crying, the other part was laughing, smiling, chasing away those tears.

_(And as long as we see each other again, I promise we will have many happy days.)_

* * *

**According to rumor, in an edition of the _CoroCoro _scan in 2010, May was officially announced to have won the Johto Grand Festival.**

**Don't know if it's true or not, but I think it should be. She totally deserves it :)**

**Some random annotations:**

**[1]_ Rou Tang Mian _- is a Chinese noodle soup made of thick, steaming pulled noodles put into a rich beef or chicken broth. It is usually served with fresh vegetables and slices of meat, and is very filling and delicious :) This dish could have been the famous noodles May had been so adamant to try during the episode _Pasta La Vista_, considering that the pamphlet she had been holding had said 'Chinese noodles' on it. Ah, in any case, I felt strangely cultural (and hungry!) as I was writing that part, so I decided to put that in :) **

**[2] _Tagliatelle - _is a type of Italian pasta shaped like long flat ribbons, originating from _Emilia-Romagna _of Northern Italy. In my head-canon, I decided that the Grand Festival receptions would be quite diverse and rich in their food selections, considering that coordinators supposedly come from 'all over the world' to compete. I don't know exactly how accurate the Pokemon world is in terms of 'real life countries', but I did do some research, and, apparently there _are _mentions of 'real countries' existing in the Pokemon world. For example, in Arcanine's pokedex entry, it is written that it is a 'legendary pokemon of China'. So yeah. I did my homework, just in case anyone was curious ;)**

**[3] _Udon_ - is a Japanese noodle soup consisting of wheat noodles in a hot, miso soup broth. It is usually served with tempura, scallions, and _kamaboko _(fish cake). It is quite light, and very tasty~**

**Oh, how we find May's large appetite and love for noodles so endearing :)**

**[4] It seemed quite impossible, but May's Blaziken managed to survive the poison that had been inflicted on it long enough to win the battle, and thus the Grand Festival. How do I give proof of this? Well, according to the Pokemon games, Blaziken's _Blaze _ability activates when it has 33% of HP left. From that point on, a standard lv. 100 Blaziken can survive up to three 'poisonings' until it runs out of HP. After activating _Blaze_, May's Blaziken was virtually unharmed by any real attacks, so its 'survival' is quite valid. :)**

**(Yes, I'm a nerd. But, I work quite hard to make a story that best that I can for you guys~)**

**[5] The 'ice cream scene' is a reference to the episode _Rhapsody in Drew_, where, after May's first Grand Festival, Ash offered her an ice cream cone :D She didn't take it that time, unfortunately, but, from Ash's side anyway, giving a girl food is basically his way of saying 'I love you' ;)**

**Ah, anyway. Wow. So, _so _fluffy and angsty, the last part of this chapter - I nearly gave myself a heart attack there xD **

**Oh, and if you're wondering why I didn't allow them to kiss...well, let's just say that half of the reason is because I'm trying to stay as canon and close to the show as I can. Obviously, Ash has not formed a 'relationship' with any of the girls yet, so, in order to make this fanfic seem more valid and realistic as you read it and consider it, I avoided such a narrow, sealing route. This way, we can argue that, _perhaps, _such occurings as I retold above in the story _did _happen in the show - the writers just didn't tell us ;)**

**Meh, a girl can dream. I always do~**

**But, anyway, what did you think? I'm sorry, I wrote this up as swiftly and thoroughly as I could, but I don't know if I'm quite satisfied with the finished product yet. Please, tell me what you think so I can change it for the better :)**

**Epilogue on its way soon! Thank you so much for reading - I can't believe it's almost over! D:**

**Have a lovely day!**

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


	12. Epilogue

**...And alas, we arrive at the epilogue! Glad to see you all again :) **

**Wow, can you believe it? This _is _the last chapter. Almost surreal, isn't it?**

**Ah, well. I've realized that writing epilogues is always bittersweet for me :) It's been almost 2 years since I first began this fanfic, and the journey was an absolutely incredible one. I want to thank you all for being there to experience it as I stumbled through - no words could describe the gratefulness I feel at the fact that you guys are here to read this last part with me :)**

**All right, I'll talk later then - go on and read!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon.**

**As always, I hope you enjoy. **

* * *

**x.**

_Epilogue_

**x.**

They say happy endings only come true in fairytales. But, as May continued to stare at the dark, tiled ceiling, the brown haired coordinator wondered whether or not that were completely true.

She gave a worn sigh, not even a full one, but just a half-hearted attempt, before turning under the comforter again and trying once more to let sleep claim her. It didn't, but she hadn't really expected it to either. Her weary eyelids snapped open again without persuasion, stubbornly refusing to close, too keyed up to rest and too exhausted to do anything else.

It had been a long day, in more ways than one. Putting the thought into words always made it seem more real than anything else would. May's mind gave up on trying to sleep and drifted alongside those words, floating away in a tangent of broken memories, flashes of sight and recollections. Battles. Ribbons. Time. Glitter. Sun. Tears. Promises.

_(golds and whites and pinks.)_

Her emotion palette threw up its hands in a sort of exasperated acceptance, finally admitting to its swirling contrasts of darks and lights, disappointments and elations, a blooming flower of sweet milk in bitter black coffee.

Stretching a bit, May shook her head and slowly sat up, propping herself against the pillows and matching her breathing pattern to those of her friends, sound asleep around her room. They would be heading back to Sinnoh tomorrow, she realized with a slight frown, knowing deep down that the moment had been bound to arrive sooner or later. The thought alone was enough to make her realize how much she would miss them, even though they were still physically present, lost in dreams and fatigue and wrapped cozily in their sleeping bags.

Pushing the rest of the covers off and drawing her knees silently to her chest, May turned her frown into an uneven smile as she considered the next stretch of her waiting adventure as a coordinator. Perhaps she would explore a whole new region this time, or maybe even go back to a previous one to see how much had changed in her absence. Her blue eyes softened dimly at the thought of going back to Hoenn again, surrounded by family and friends and familiarity. She craved and adored adventure, yes, but, over the course of her various travels, she had begun to realize that, over time, she really missed home too. May supposed that feeling would never leave her, no matter how much her heart pined to see the world. It was a nice feeling though, almost like the satisfying soreness that came with working out, so it was okay.

Keeping a light hum in the back of her throat, May shifted on the mattress again and turned her eyes to the Johto Ribbon Cup sitting regally on the nightstand, glinting softly in the dark. She reached out to touch the gold with one finger, sliding it from the rim to the base in a sort of unquenched, timeless awe.

_Mine. Finally mine. _

This had been her goal since she had first started her journey, years and years ago, May realized. She laughed quietly at the thought, flipping through the days and months and wondering where the time went, marveling at the ethereal glow that came with accomplishing one's dream after so _so _long.

Time to set a new goal, she supposed. However, even though she had theoretically reached the finish line for this one, May still felt a bit unbalanced, as if she were still missing something. Her hand retracted from the Ribbon Cup, feeling its tangibility and tilting her head in confusion as to why she still didn't feel a sense of…_closure_.

Closure. That was it. May still felt unfinished, as if she were still waiting for something. Her gaze dropped from the trophy and back to the nightstand. Perhaps the closure had nothing to do with her journey, or her travels, or her goals.

Maybe it had something to do with _him_.

Her half-ribbon necklace lay quietly in the space next to the Ribbon Cup, full of promise and color, blue stones, pink-white, gold center, fine chain. May couldn't help but feel a bit warmer as she gracelessly slipped into sentimentality.

The smile on her face didn't disappear, but only grew wider.

_(I do care May. I always did.)_

There were still many things she hadn't told him about, but she supposed what they had said tonight was enough, for the moment. He wanted time after all. He needed it. Perhaps she needed it too.

_Ash…_

May allowed her eyes to slip to his form as she thought his name, grinning softly at his peaceful, sleeping face.

_(If he had found peace, then she was happy for it. For him.)_

It didn't mean that she still wasn't disappointed about it. The fact that he had leaned away from her attempt to kiss him still stung a bit, but not completely in a bad way. At least, in some areas, her emotions were a bit clearer than they had been before.

She finally had some answers.

_He feels something for me, and I do too. Perhaps, in time, we will be together someday._

May yawned, still not tired enough to sleep, so decided to crawl out of bed and wait for the exhaustion out on the balcony, the soothing blanket of night air. It was still lovingly clear, the moon bright and lulling enough to perhaps bring sleep.

Feet touching carpet, May followed through with the thought and padded quietly to the French doors of her hotel room, pausing only to affectionately brush her hands across her pokeballs scattered on the coffee table. The red-white spheres brought her a sort of comfort and love that she couldn't find with anyone else.

_My pokemon…_

Resting her fingers on the cold door handle of the glass doors, May turned around, her eyes once again drawing toward his sleeping form.

_Ash._

She left the door briefly, turning to walk back toward his sleeping back, kneeling down beside him. Those dark amber eyes were closed, his lips curved into a small smile.

_(May…)_

Her heart pulsed in time with his steady breaths, connecting them.

"Thank you Ash. I understand. I really do. Maybe, someday, when you're ready, we can be together."

The words were barely a whisper, but she said them with all the true emotion she still retained. The black haired trainer next to her didn't respond, his undisturbed and continued breaths indicating that he was truly deeply asleep.

May bit her lip, leaning over, her soft hair swirling around her shoulders. So beautiful. So dense. So adventurous. So _Ash_.

(The half that made her truly whole.)

Her heart picked up tempo, beating to the sweet, silent melody of him, of her, of _them_.

And then, impulsively, _oh so impulsively_, May leaned further and gently brushed her lips against Ash's, stealing the kiss he had denied her before.

_Thank you._

"Ash?"

Breaths, gentle and soft as sleep.

May smiled.

"I think I love you."

And, leaving a part of her heart with those words, May finally stood up, walking back to the glass doors and out into the balcony, the night, leaving him behind.

_(love.)_

The French doors clicked shut.

And Ash opened his eyes.

_I…_

Voice thick with sleep, the black haired boy lifted a lethargic hand to brush his fingers across the place May's lips had been, giving a gentle smile.

"Yeah. Me too."

**x.**

_(I promise)_

**x.**

_The End._

* * *

***tears up***

**Ah, sorry, this is just...unbelievable...**

**(well, I am a hopeless romantic. Looks like May got her kiss after all) ;)**

**Anyway...**

**A bit slow paced, yes, more so than I originally intended it to be. Tell me what you think of it though~**

**But, more importantly, I just want to say a last _thank you _to all my readers - for trekking on this journey with me. This was my first multi-chaptered story after all, and it truly means a lot to me. So, thank you, thank you, thank you, so so much. I had a wonderful time on this adventure and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.**

**So, farewell for now! Don't worry, I promise I'll be back soon (I'm working on more ADV fics as we speak), and please feel free to drop by to tell me how you felt about this epilogue, or perhaps the whole story in general if you want :) I endeavor to write more for this fandom, and I promise I'll show up again in the near future, with a whole new story, a whole new beginning in store :)**

**Love you all! Hope you have a wonderful day :)**

**Kisses,**

**WingsofRain**


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